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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 VERBENACEAE specimen
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

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Grey MangroveAvicennia marina var. acutissimaGrey Mangrove, Grey AvicenniaAvicennia marina var. marinaIndian MangroveAvicennia officinalisLarge-Leaf Beauty BerryCallicarpa macrophyllaVelvet Beauty Berry, Great Woolly Malayan LilacCallicarpa tomentosaFiddle Wood; Spiny FiddlewoodCitharexylum spinosumChinese GlorybowerClerodendrum chinenseClerodendron, Tree Of Little StarsClerodendrum heterophyllum

All 62 species in VERBENACEAE

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