Citharexylum spinosum L.

പാരിജാതം

Family : VERBENACEAE

Synonym : Citharexylum fruticosum f. subserratum (Sw.) Moldenke

Common Names : Parijatham, Fiddlewood, Spiny fiddlewood

Flowering Period : April-September

Distribution : Native of West Indies; introduced and naturalised in many other countries

Habitat : Grown as garden/avenue tree

Uses : Ornamental, timber yielding, fiddlewood used to make sounding boards for musical instruments and cabinets

Key Characters :

Citharexylum spinosum are shrubs or trees. Leaves decussate-opposite, alternate. Inflorescence axillary and terminal, recemiform, erect or drooping; flowers numerous, small, regular or somewhat zygomorphic. Calyx cupular or tubular, 5-lobed. Corolla white, infundibular, usually 5-lobed. Stamens 4, didynamous; the lower 2 forming staminodes. Ovary perfectly or imperfectly 4-loculed; ovule 1 in each locule; style terminal; stigma shortly 2-lobed. Fruit a drupe.