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Barleria repens Nees
| Family Name: | Acanthaceae |
| Common Name: | Coral Creeper, Small Bush Violet, 長紅假杜鵑 |
Coral Creeper (Barleria repens) is a spreading shrub that typically reaches up to 70 cm tall, with a creeping habit. It is found in a range of habitats from coastal shrubs to woodlands. Its attractive pink to salmon flowers provide nectar for bees and butterflies, and grows well under full sun to semi-shade, with moderate watering making it suitable for gardens and landscape planting.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Rounded, Open, Shrubby |
| Maximum Height | 0.7 m |
| Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width | 1 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kwazulu-Natal) |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | A rounded to spreading shrub that usually grows to 0.7 m in height and spread up to 1 m in cultivation. Its lower branches produce roots upon contact with ground, resembling a creeping habit. It can also reach up to 2 m tall when climbs or leans over other nearby shrubs or objects. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Glossy dark green leaves are oval-shaped with entire leaf margin. The leaf blade has a pointed tip (acute), and sparsely hairy on the underside. Leaves are located in opposite pairs along the stem. |
| Stems | Young stem is green and slightly hairy and becomes increasingly woodier with age. Stems produce roots when in contact with soil. |
| Flowers | The flowers have tubular pink to salmon (5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide) petals with 5-unequal lobes, and light purple anthers . Flowers are single, and occasionally in groups of two or three. Flowers are borne in leaf axils and each flower has two green leafy sepals. |
| Fruit | Club-shaped fruit split open to eject seeds away from the parent plant. Each fruit contains 4 round to oval seeds covered with silky hair, measuring 3.8 - 5 mm long and wide. |
| Habitat | It is found in coastal scrubs and woodlands, understorey and margins of dry coastal forests and on sandy soil, up to 230 m altitude. |
| Similar | Barleria cristata is often confused with Barleria repens but can be distinguished by several traits. B. cristata has spine-tipped bracts at the base of its flowers that are entirely absent in B. repens. Their growth habits also differ significantly, as B. cristata maintains an upright structure while B. repens exhibits a lower, creeping habit. |
| Taxonomy | |
| Etymology | The genus Barleria was named by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753 to honour Jacques Barrelier, a French physician, botanist, plant collector, author and Dominican monk who is often cited as the Rev. James Barrelier. The specific epithet repens means creeping in Latin, and refers to the creeping habit of the plant. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Container Planting, General, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting Plant |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee), Insects (Butterfly, Moth)) |
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic (Water, Explosive Dehiscence) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast to Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils, Easy to Grow, Fertile Loamy Soils |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Stem Cutting |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Glossy / Shiny |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Green |
| Young Flush Texture(s) | Glossy / Shiny |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Oval) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute |
| Foliar Base | Acute |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Pink |
|---|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Flower Grouping | Solitary |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Asymmetrical |
| Individual Flower Shape | Tubular |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
| Flower Size | 5 cm x 2.5 cm |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule |
| Mature Seed Texture(s) | Velvety / Furry / Tomentose |
| Seed Description | Seeds are round to oval-shaped, up to 5 mm wide and covered with silky hairs. |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | <1> Barleria repens Nees. Flora of Mozambique. https://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=170200 (Accessed 23 September 2026). <2> Coral creeper (Barleria repens). NSW WeedWise. https://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/Weed/CoralCreeper (Accessed 23 September 2026).
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 32340 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 6750 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
