Lagerstroemia speciosa

Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers., Syn. 2: 72. 1807; Bailey, Stand. Cycl. Hort. 4: 1775. 1919; Furtado & Montien, Gard. Bull. Singapore 24: 190. 1969; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras org p.3; kerelaplants.in; L. flos-reginae Retz., Obs. Bot. 5: 25. 1788; Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 577. 1879; L. hirsuta (Lam.) Willd., Sp. Pl. 2: 1178. 1799; L. reginae Roxb., Pl. Coromandel 1(3): 46, t.65. 1796.

Deciduous tree, 7+ m tall, bark yellowish brown, smooth, fibrous. Leaves simple, opposite or subopposite, 8-25 cm x 3-10 cm, oblong-lanceolate, elliptic- lanceolate or elliptic-oblong, glabrous, coriaceous; apex acute or shortly acuminate, base obtuse, round or acute, margin entire; petiole 5-9 mm long, stout, glabrous; lateral nerves 9-11 pairs, parallel, prominent beneath; stipules interpetiolar, deciduous. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, 6 or 7-merous, perigynous, 5-8 cm across, mauve or pink in terminal panicles, panicles 14-35 cm long, inflorescence branches puberulous; pedicels ca. 1 cm long; epicalyx minute, thick. Calyx tube (hypanthium) 8-10 mm x 11-13 mm, hemispherical, 12-ribbed without, puberulous; lobes 6 or 7, 7-8 mm x 4.5-5 mm, triangular, acute, in fruit spreading and woody. Petals 6 or 7, ca. 4 cm x 2.5 cm, obovate, clawed, claw 5-6 mm long, margin crispate. Stamens many, inserted near the base of calyx tube, filaments exserted, 6-15 mm long; anthers 1.5 mm long, yellow. Ovary half inferior, sessile, ca. 5 mm x 5 mm, glabrous, 6-locular, ovules many; style 2.3-2.4 cm long, curved, purple; stigma capitate, green. Fruit a capsule, 1.7-2 cm in diameter, ovoid, brown, woody, rugose, dehiscent; seeds 10-12 mm long, winged, pale brown.

Flowering and Fruiting: May to July
Common Names: Queen of Flowers, Pride of India, Queen Crape Myrtle; Jarul (Hindi)