Lagerstroemia speciosa

• Botanical Name : Lagerstroemia speciosa (L) Pers
• Synonyms : Lagerstroemia flos-reginae Retz.
• Common Name : Pride of India, Queen Crape Myrtle, Queen's Flower, Taaman, Mota-Bondra
• Plant Family : Lythraceae
• Plant Form : Tree
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 17, 18
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation

About Lagerstroemia speciosa Plant :

• Habit : A small tree.
• Leaves : Opposite, oblong, lanceolate or elliptic, subacute, base acute or rounded, coriaceous.
• Flowers :
  • Blue, very beautiful, in large panicles of many flowers, pedicels stout, hairy.
  • Calyx tubular, hairs white, ribbed with12-14 stout ridges.
  • Petals 6, purple, roundovate, clawed, much wavy and crumpled, spreading.
  • Stamens many, purple, inserted near the bottom of the calyx-tube much exserted.
  • Ovary 3-6 celled, superior, sessile, ovules many, placenta axile, style long bent, stigma capitate.
• Fruit : Capsules with loculicdal dehiscence, seeds many, winged at apex.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : April - July
• Significance :
  • Cultivated in the gardens and planted on the road sides.
  • The seeds are narcotic.
  • The plant is one of the most important timber trees of India.