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Calycacanthus magnusianus K.Schum.
| Family Name: | Acanthaceae |
Calycacanthus magnusianus is a shrub or small tree from Papua New Guinea. It can reach up to 15 m tall in the wild. It is cultivated for its ornamental flowers which are tubular and pinkish to salmon coloured. Each flower is subtended by a persistent showy calyx which is usually dark red and fades to pink with age.
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Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub, Tree |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 15 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Papua New Guinea |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a shrub or small tree, which can reach up to 10 (-15) m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are green, leathery (subcoriaceous) and elliptic to obovate-elliptic shaped (7.7 - 29 cm long and 2.5 - 14.5 cm wide). The leaf tip is tapering (acuminate) while the leaf base is acute. Leaf stalk can reach up to 1.7 cm long and sometimes with reddish tinged. |
| Flowers | Flowers occur in a cluster as pedunculate thyrses at the leaf axils of younger growth or at the axils of leaf scars on older (woody and leafless) branches and trunks. Inflorescence comprises of up to 13 flowers. Each flower is subtended by persistent showy calyx which is usually dark red (rarely pink) and often fades to pink with age. The flower is pinkish to salmon coloured and tubular (3.8 – 5 cm long). |
| Fruit | Fruit is woody and capsular, about (1.8 - ) 2 - 3.4 cm long, with 3 - 4 seeds within. |
| Habitat | It occurs in lowland and montane rainforest, especially along streams, up to 2060 m altitude. |
| Associated Flora | Flowers are pollinated by insects. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Others: It is cultivated for its ornamental flowers. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | General, Parks & Gardens |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Leathery |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate, Caudate |
| Foliar Base | Acute |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Non Palm) | Woody |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Pink |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary, Cauliflorous |
| Individual Flower Shape | Tubular |
| Inflorescence Type | Thryse |
| Flowering Period | Free-Flowering |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
|---|
References
| References | Daniel, T.F. (2023). Revision of Calycacanthus (Acanthaceae: Justicieae: Monotheciinae) with a new species from Papua New Guinea. Harvard Papers in Botany 28 (1): 37–49. |
|---|
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 34380 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 8793 |
| 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. |