Page 5 - common trees of flowers of Uttarakhand

WILD FLOWER OF TERAI BHABHAR COMMON TREES AND FLOWERS OF UTTARAKHAND | 05

Lamiaceae Hill Glory Bower Clerodendrum infortunatum
Alternate English name: Local name: Bhant, Bhatwas, Bhandira

Synonyms Clerodendron viscosum
Plant type and size Native shrub, 1-2m
tall.
Flower size 20cm elongated cluster.
Flowering March-April,
Fruiting June-August

Description This is a common shrub, found
mainly in the understorey of Sal Shorea
robusta forests in the outer Himalaya and
Shivaliks. The stems of the plant are, grey-
brown, hollow, roughly square-shaped in
cross-section. Young shoots are covered in
fine, brownish hairs. The leaves are 10-20cm
long, oval, arranged oppositely and are rough Anchal Sondhi
to touch. The flowers have five white petals

with a pink base, which are 1-1.5cm long. The
four stamens protrude from the flower. The
flowers are arranged in elongated clusters that
may be up to 20cm long. Fruits are shiny
black berries, 5-8mm in diameter, enclosed in
a fleshy, dark red cover.

Anchal Sondhi

Anchal Sondhi

A cluster of Slate Flash Rapala manea feeding on
Clerodendrum flower buds.

Medicinal and other uses
A concoction of the plant juices is used to cure fevers.
Flowers and leaves are used to alleviate scorpion stings.
Nature notes Sanjay Sondhi
The flowers have a sweet scent during the night, but
which fades during the day. The nectar of this species is
fed on by numerous butterflies such as Common Mormon
Papilio polytes, Common Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe,
Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus and Tailed Jay Graphium
agamemnon.

TERAI MID-ALTITUDE
LANDSCAPE LANDSCAPE
COMMON TREES AND FLOWERS OF UTTARAKHAND
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