Laurel Clock Vine

Laurel Clock Vine (white)

laurel-leaved clockvine, laurel-leaved thunbergia, purple allamanda

Botanical Name:Thunbergia laurifolia

Family:Acanthaceae (Ruelliafamily)

Synonyms: Thunbergia grandiflora var.laurifolia, Thunbergia harrisii

Laurel Clock Vine is a climber with ovate-oblong or nearly lanceolate entire to slightly toothed leaves. Leaves are obtuse or heart-shaped at base, long pointed, pinnately nerved, hairless, mostly 7-18 cm long and 2.5-6 cm wide, on stalks up to 6 cm long. Bracteoles are persistent, 4-5 cm long. Calyx is truncate.

Flowers are blue-violet to white, tube 3.5-4.5 cm long, limb 6-8 cm broad. Capsule is up to 1.5 cm wide, the beak to 3 cm long. Differs from Bengal Clock Vine mainly in the narrower, 3-7 cm wide, ovate to oblong, rarely lobed leaves which are frequently very coarsely toothed, long-pointed at the tip.