Vitex negundo L.

de Kok, R. (2008). The genus Vitex (Labiatae) in the Flora Malesiana region, excluding New Guinea. Kew Bulletin 63: 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-007-9013-7

Conservation

Least concern.

Distribution

The present day distribution is from Java and the Philippines north to China and India. Reported to be introduced and cultivated in at least Java, Sumatra and the Philippines (Merrill 1918) and possibly in the whole of the Flora Malesiana area

Ecology

Growing in secondary forest (rarely in primary) and along roads and in wastelands, sometimes in thickets and up to 110 m altitude. Reported to be flowering and fruiting throughout the year.

Morphology General Habit

Trees or shrubs up to 4 m high

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3 (– 6)-foliolate; central leaflet oblong-elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 3.4 – 7 × 1.2 – 1.6 cm, ratio 2.2 – 4.6; side leaflets 2.3 – 5 × 0.8 – 1.4 cm, ratio 2.8 – 4.3, apex acuminate, base cuneate, margin entire to dentate, glabrous above or with only hairs on the veins, velutinous whitish below, aromatic when crushed, 7 – 12 secondary veins; hairs appressed, with a powdery exudate on apical cell

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 2.2 – 3.2 cm long, round in cross-section, covered with minute curly hairs; petiolules 0 – 6 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filaments 1.5 – 4 mm long, slightly to strongly didynamous, inserted halfway on the corolla tube, pale purple; anther c. 0.8 mm long, pale brown to violet

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5-lobed, clearly 5-ribbed; lobes 0.5 – 1 cm long, clearly developed, persistent, velutinous; glands absent to few; flowering calyx 1 – 1.5 mm diameter, erect; fruiting calyx 2 – 2.5 mm diameter, erect, covering the mature fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 5-lobed, white or purple to blue-violet; covered with appressed hairs; glands few, white; lip oblong, 1.8 – 3 × 1.9 – 2.1 mm, apex rounded and reflexed, margin entire, two well-developed ridges at corolla mouth, blue; side lobes 1.2 – 1.5 × 1 – 2 mm, apex round, patent, blue; back lobes 1.2 – 1.5 × 1 – 1.2 mm, fused up to 10%, apex round, reflect to erect, blue; tube 2 – 3.5 mm long, infundibular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary globose, 0.6 – 0.8 × 0.5 – 0.7 mm, glabrous; style 2.5 – 3 mm long; stigma lobes 0.1 – 0.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit, fresh unknown; dried, ellipsoid, 2.5 – 4 × 1.8 – 2 mm, apex truncate, glabrous, smooth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence paniculate, terminal, axis 6 – 25 cm long, angular in cross-section; flowers in dense side clusters on peduncles up to 8 mm; hairs dense, appressed; bracteoles scale-like, linear, up to 3 mm long, velutinous, usually persistent

Note

Most specimens from the Flora Malesiana area only have a few indentations in the leaves. This is unlike most specimens from mainland Asia (especially China), which can have frequent and substantial indentations in the leaves. These latter forms are sometimes cultivated in botanical gardens and other institutions and are often recognised as Vitex negundo var. incisa (Lam.) C. B. Clarke. The taxonomy of this species remains confusing on mainland Asia and more work is needed.

Type

From somewhere in India, [Linnaeus 811/8] (holotype LINN!).

Vernacular

Malaysia: Merbok (Abd. Samat 15). Sabah: Talaun mohou (Ranis Kung Kai 93). Philipines: Lagundi (Merrill 1918).