Tecoma stans

Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth, in F. W. H. von Humboldt, A. J. A. Bonpland & C. S. Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 3: 144. 1819; Nicholson, Gard. Dict. 4: 13. 1889; Talbot, For. Fl. Bomb. Presd. and Sind, 2: 319. 1911; Bailey, Stand. Cyclop. Hort. 6: 3317. 1917; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 375. 1918 (Reprint 1973); Bor & Raizada, Ind. Climb. and Shrubs: 37. 1954; Maheshwari, Fl. Delhi: 258. 1963; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p.15; Wood, A Revision of Tecoma, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 156(1): 143-172. 2008. Bignonia stans L., Sp. Pl. ed. 2: 871. 1753; Stenolobium stans (Linn.) D. Don, Edin. Phil. Jour. 9: 264. 1823; Gelsimum stans (L.) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 2: 479. 1891.

A large shrub or a small tree, glabrous. Leaves opposite, imparipinnately compound with 3-9 leaflets (occasionally leaves simple but only at base of branches), leaves up to 25 cm long with 3.5-6.5 cm long petiole; leaflets very much variable in size: 6.5-22 cm x 1.5-8 cm with 0-2 cm long petiolules, lanceolate, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, margin serrate or serrate-dentate, occasionally deeply serrate, base cuneate or asymmetrical, apex acute to acuminate, rarely obtuse, adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrous or pubescent, especially on veins. Flowers yellow, 5-5.5 cm long and 3-4 cm across, bisexual, slightly zygomorphic, pentamerous, hypogynous, slightly fragrant, in terminal panicles; bracts ca. 2.5 mm long, lanceolate with ciliate margin; bracteoles ca. 1.5 mm long, oblong, mucronate, ciliate. Pedicels articulate at base of flower, ca. 7 mm long, glabrous. Calyx tubular-campanulate, 7-8 mm long and ca. 3 mm wide, lobes 5, triangular, tuberculate, circular glands at the base of calyx lobes, glabrous. Corolla 5-5.5 cm long and 3-4 cm across; obliquely tubular-campanulate; tube ca. 4 cm long, abruptly contracted at base, cylindrical, 3 mm long, then widening towards throat, 1.5-1.7 cm wide, inside 2 longitudinal ridges with hairs; limb 2-lipped, slightly zygomorphic, upper lip 2-lobed, ca. 3.5 cm wide, spreading; lower lip 3-lobed, ca. 2.5 cm broad, reflexed; lobes subequal, ca. 1.1 cm x 1.3-1.5 cm, obovate, emarginate, margin puberulent and sinus pubescent. Stamens 4, included, didynamous, anterior pair longer than lateral pairs, filaments ca. 1.5 and 1.2 cm long respectively; all filaments glandular pubescent at the base; anthers bithecous, linear, 3-3.5 mm long, apiculate, thecae divaricate and pilose; staminode filiform, ca. 4-5 mm long. Disc cupulate, obscurely 5-lobed. Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary ca. 4 mm long, narrowly ovoid, 2-locular, many ovules on axile placentas; style ca. 2 cm long; stigma bifid, lobes flattened, ovoid, ca. 1.5 cm long. Capsules pendulous, linear, strongly compressed, 10-16 cm x 0.5-0.6 cm, chocolate brown in colour, valves 2, leathery with lenticels. Seeds orbicular-compressed, ca. 6 mm x 8 mm, winged, each wing 10-12 mm broad.

Flowering and Fruiting: Throughout the year
Common Names: Yellow Bells, Trumpet flowers, Yellow Trumpet Flower, Yellow Elder, Yellow Trumpet bush