Clerodendrum.
Previously in Verbenaceae Glory flowers are now in Family Lamiaceae > Subfamily Ajugoideae.
Over the years the number of species has varied from around 100 to over 500 as plants in genera such as Aegiphila, Amasonia, Rotheca and Volkameria were moved into or out of it.
Plants of the World Online (Kew) recognises 237 tropical & subtropical species.
They are in two groups (clades) with most from Africa and Asia.
Mabberley recognises around 150 species with at least 10 species found across northern Australia.
Most are evergreen shrubs a few metres high or trees up to around 20 m.
The shrubs, with multiple stems grow from a thickened woody base.
Some plants sucker from the base and can become extremely invasive.
Plants with long arching stems can scramble over other vegetation or climb.
Smaller branches can be round or 4-angled.
Most species have opposite leaves in 2 or 4 ranks while some are in whorls of 3 or 4.
Petioles are usually present and may leave a short spine-like base when they fall.
The simple blades can have a flat or wavy edge with or without small sharp or blunt teeth.
Young stems and leaves may have some hairs and glands.
Inflorescences are terminal either on the main stem or short axillary side branches near the stem end.
Erect to pendulous they are loose to dense clusters of variously arranged flowers.
The sepals are almost always fused at the base with the top being flat or having 5 small teeth or larger lobes.
The green or coloured calyx may have hairs and/or glands on the outer surface.
The straight or curved corolla tube, usually longer than the calyx, has a wider throat with 5 petal lobes in 1 or 2 lips.
With 2 lips the flowers are, or are almost, radially symmetric.
Most flowers are bilaterally symmetric with the 5 lobes in 1 lip with the central lobe often larger.
As may species have ‘upside down’ (resupinate) flowers the lobes may appear to be in an upper lip.
The white, violet, red, pink or yellow lobes spread out or curl back.
The 4 stamens insert onto the corolla tube.
They are in 2 pairs of equal or slightly different lengths and extend well past the corolla.
The initially erect stamens curve or curl up after their pollen is released.
There is a small or no nectary disc around the base of the ovary.
The ovary, of 2 fused carpels has 4 locules each with 1 ovule.
As fertilised ovules grow the ovary may become lobed.
The long style, extending past the corolla has a stigma with 2 short lobes.
The initially curved style straightens after fertilisation.
Fruit are a drupe-like capsule typically surrounded by the expanded calyx.
When mature the capsule breaks into its 4 (1 – 3) slightly fleshy sections (mericarps).
The black to bluish-purple fruit are surrounded by the green, red or purplish calyx.
J.F.
