Thunbergia erecta (Benth.) T. Anderson

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Lamiales > Acanthaceae > Thunbergia > Thunbergia erecta (Benth.) T. Anderson

Description: Scandent shrub to 3 m tall; young branches quadrangular, with pale yellow glossy bark, narrowly winged with the wings forming small “ears” at nodes, glabrous but for thin lines of hairs at youngest nodes. Leaves with petiole 2–6 mm long, glabrous or with a few hairs; lamina elliptic, apex acuminate to cuspidate, base cuneate to rounded (rarely attenuate), margin on some or all with a single large triangular tooth near or above middle, usually undulate towards base, glabrous or with a few hairs on midrib. Flowers solitary; pedicels glabrous, basal part not clasped by leaf; bracteoles pale green, ovate to elliptic, acute to acuminate (rarely obtuse), glabrous. Calyx rim to 3 mm high, segments to 3 mm long (to 1 cm in fruit), with sessile glands. Corolla limb blue to deep bluish purple, tube whitish, throat yellow; tube 3–5 cm long. Filaments 10–12 and, with scattered glands along whole length; anthers 4–5 mm long. Capsule glabrous. Seed dark brown, ± 8 mm in diameter.

Flowering and Fruiting: all summer, or all year long in tropical climates.

Uses: It is cultivated as a garden ornamental for its attractive and fragrant flowers. Since it tolerates frequent pruning, commercial landscapers often plant and maintain this species for hedges.

Cultivation: Cultivated/wild

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org