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Duranta - the Golden Dew Drop

Scientific Name: Duranta erecta or Duranta repens or Duranta spinosa.
IUCN Status: Least Concern
This invasive flowering shrub of Verbenaceae family is a native of Asia, Africa and Central and South America.
It is also called Pigeon Berry and Sky flower. The Genus Duranta is named in honour of 15th CE Italian Botanist- Castore Durante. The Species erecta means upright.
It is an evergreen upright shrub with a height of 1-3m and with bright, shiny leaves.
There are usually at least some pairs of spines along the stems, on located at the base of each of the leaf stalks- hence the name Duranta spinosa.
It produces clusters of tiny lavender or sky blue coloured flowers in elongated clusters on terminal and auxiliary stems- hence the name Sky Flower.
Blue Sky Flowers- petals with central dark stripe
Flowers are sub-sessile and each flower made up of 5 fused petals which have darker stripe in the centre.
Each flower has 5 green sepals that are also fused. Each flower has 4 stamens in the centre.
It blooms almost all year long. Some species of Duranta has white flowers. Flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
When flowers fall they are succeeded by bright amber or orange coloured berries with seeds in a compact bunch, making it look pretty.
Leaves and un-ripened berries are toxic. These orange berries turn dark purple when ripened and are edible.
The Pigeon Berries
Songbirds and pigeons feed on these berries- hence the name Pigeon Berry.
Duranta- stages of reproduction
Duranta is commonly used as a hedge.
Duranta as a hedge
Being thick and thorny, constant pruning and cutting is needed, otherwise attains to the height of small tree.
 

It is propagated by either cuttings or seeds.
From a utilitarian point of view the fruits and leaves of Duranta are used in traditional folk medicine of Africa for treatment of malaria, intestinal worms and abscesses.

Comments

  1. VIJAY KUMAR SAHUKARUJuly 12, 2020 at 8:38 PM

    Superb info

    ReplyDelete
  2. RAMAJuly 12, 2020 at 10:32 PM

    .... Normal we see all such...but today I got....d name's. of all flowers...n all information got through u....dr... Thnx dr ...KSR...

    ReplyDelete

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