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Clerodendrum costatum

Family

Lamiaceae

Botanical Name

Clerodendrum costatum R.Br.

Brown, R. (1810) Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae: 511. Type: Queensland, endeavour River, 1770, Banks & Solander; lecto: BM; iso: BM.

Synonyms

Clerodendrum cunninghamii Benth., Flora Australiensis 5: 64(1870), Type: N T, Goulburn Island South, Mar. 1818, A. Cunningham 183; lecto: BM; iso: K. Escape Cliffs, C. Hulls & Endeavour River, A. Cunningham; syn: K, MEL.

Common name

Witches Tongues; Flowers of Magic

Stem

A small tree not exceeding 30 cm dbh.

Leaves

Leaf bearing twigs pale brown. Leaf blades about 14-16.5 x 6-7 cm. Petioles about 2.5-3.5 cm long, narrowly grooved on the upper surface. Underside of the leaf blade without minute flat glands but clothed in short, curved, +/- tortuous hairs.

Flowers

Calyx lobes about 3-7 mm long with several flat glands visible on the glabrous inner surface, outer surface hairy. Corolla tube about 50-80 mm long, glabrous externally, lobes about 5-10 mm long. Stamens 4, attached to the upper third if the corolla tube often conspicuously exserted up to 2 cm beyond the corolla tube. Filaments about 40 mm long, anthers about 3 mm long. Style about 90 mm long. Stigma 2-lobed and about 2 mm long. Ovary about 2 mm long.

Fruit

Fruiting carpels about 7-10 x 6-12 mm, green but turning bluish-purple at maturity. Calyx lobes persistent, red.

Seedlings

Features not available.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in NT, CYP, NEQ and southwards as far as coastal central Queensland. Altitudinal range from sea level to 200 m. Grows in monsoon forest, beach forest and the drier, more seasonal rain forests. Also occurs in New Guinea.