Botanical Family · Lamiales

Verbenaceae

Verbena/Teak family

62 speciesOrder Lamiales8+ well-known plants

A family of trees, shrubs, and herbs widespread in tropical and subtropical regions. Includes teak (Tectona grandis) — the world's premier hardwood — as well as ornamental lantanas and verbenas. Characterised by opposite leaves and 4-lobed corollas.

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Representative specimen · Verbenaceae

Key pattern

Opposite or whorled leaves on square-ish stems, with slightly irregular tubular flowers in elongated spikes and often wavy-edged petals.

Easily mistaken for the Mint family at a glance — the wavy petal edges and generally milder aroma are the giveaway.

Identify the species

Which Verbenaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Verbenaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan

Flower ColorWhat color are the flowers?

Orange

Pink

Purple

Red

White

Yellow

Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?

Hirsute (coarsely hairy)

Pubescent

Pubescent (softly hairy)

Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)

HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?

Climbing vine

Shrub

HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?

Climbing vine

Herb

Shrub

Tree

Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?

Hirsute (coarsely hairy)

Pubescent (softly hairy)

Inflorescence TypeHow are the flowers arranged on the plant?

Not sure / other

Panicle

Spike (stalkless flowers along a stem)

Leaf ArrangementHow are the leaves arranged/shaped?

Opposite

Palmately compound, usually 3 leaflets

Fruit MarkAnything distinctive about the fruit or berries?

Clusters of golden-yellow berries

Clusters of orange-yellow berries

Leaf ArrangementHow are the leaves arranged/shaped?

Opposite

Palmately compound (hand-like)

Palmately compound, usually 5 leaflets

Leaf SurfaceWhat does the leaf surface feel or look like?

Glabrous

Glabrous (smooth, hairless)

Hirsute

Hirsute (coarsely hairy)

Not sure / other

Pubescent

Pubescent (softly hairy)

Tomentose (woolly, matted hairs)

HabitatWhere does it typically grow?

Coastal

Coastal hedge

Inflorescence TypeHow are the flowers arranged on the plant?

Cyme

Head (dense tight cluster)

Not sure / other

Panicle

Spike (stalkless flowers along a stem)

HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?

Shrub

Tree

Leaf ArrangementHow are the leaves arranged/shaped?

Not sure / other

Opposite

Palmately compound (hand-like)

Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?

Elliptic

Ovate

HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?

Climbing vine

Shrub

Inflorescence TypeHow are the flowers arranged on the plant?

Cyme

Not sure / other

Spike (stalkless flowers along a stem)

Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?

Elliptic, blunt tip

Narrow, lance-shaped, pointed tip

Not sure / other

Orbicular

Ovate

HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?

Shrub

Tree

How to recognise the Verbenaceae family

01
Opposite or whorled leaves
02
4–5-lobed tubular flowers in spikes
03
Drupe or schizocarp fruit

Family identification method

To check whether a plant belongs to Verbenaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.

Learn the full family-identification method