Thunbergia erecta, Bush Clock Vine, King's Mantle

Thunbergia erecta (Benth.) T.Anderson
Family: Acanthaceae
Synonym: Meyenia erecta Benth.

Common name: Bush Clock Vine, King's Mantle
Chinese: 直立山牵牛 ,硬枝老鸦
French: Phlogacanthe turgide

Description: A glabrous, upright, upto 1.25 m tall undershrub. Leaves late-ovate to elliptic-ovate to obovate, 3-8 x 2-4 cm, basally rounded, distantly serrate, acute, apiculate. Flowers purple-blue to dark blue, up to c. 6 cm long, c. 4 cm across, usually solitary axillary; Bracts 15 x 10 mm, deciduous. Calyx teeth c. 15, subulate, glandular hairy. Corolla tube ± curved yellowish-white or white, glandular hairy outside, lobes subequal, c. 1.5 cm long, obtuse. Staminal filaments glandular-hairy; anthers oblong, c. 4 mm long, bearded, mucronate. Style c. 3.5 cm long; stigma 2-lobed, upper lobe upright, lower patent.

Published articles:
1. Pollination biology of Thunbergia erecta, T. Anders. and its horticultural variety alba Hort.
 Radhamany, P. M.; Antony, M. L.
Journal of Palynology  Volume: 40   Pages: 165-172   Published: 2004, publ. 2005

2. SHOOT APEX ORGANIZATION AND LEAF DEVELOPMENT IN THUNBERGIA-ERECTA T. ANDERS ACANTHACEAE
 VERMA S K; KUMAR V
Acta Botanica Indica  Volume: 17   Issue: 1   Pages: 108-112   Published: 1989