Tecoma stans and T. castanifolia

[Subrata Mahapatra]

Trees with bright yellow bellshaped  flowers present a gorgeous sight when in full bloom.

It blooms several times throughout the year. Naturally it comes to mind that these may be used as ornamental tree to beautify the campus avenue. Experts may recommend which of these will be more suitable in our climate.

About a month back I put up a photo of 4m high tree in bloom for ID. It was first identified  by Giby ji as T. stans. Soon followed a lively discussion and participation by many. It is stated that though flowers look similar the cousin brothers have a big difference. T. stans has a compound leaf while the other has simple leaf. I went to the location in Kolkata, found  leaves are opposite and compound trifoliate. As per PIER's description for T. stans " Leaves opposite, pinnately compounded, leafllets 1-9, usually 3-7 ". this then should be T. stans.

 In the meantime Giby ji went to the library and found key to Tecoma Cf 'Flora of Udupi' by K.G.Bhatt

Leaves simple or 2-3 foliolates - T. castanifolia(syn. T. gaudichaudii)

Leaves  5-13 foliolates - T. stans.

Thanks to his perseverance our knowledge has expanded, but it makes the matter open

[Gurcharan Singh]

Subrata ji

I find you have reproduced the first image as same which you had labelled in earlier thread as Tecoma-stans_Yellow Bells_Chandraprabha.jpg now changed to Tecoma stans_Yellow Bells_Ghantiphul.jpg. If you remember both myself and Gibby ji had finally concluded your plant as Tecoma castanifolia (syn: T. gaudichaudii). To me the confusion lies in the fact that in T. gaudchaudii, the leaves may be with moreleaves with three leaflets (any one who has description from a book where two are described as distinct species may please confirm this: I may even be wrong) where as in T. castanifolia, the leaves are simple (I write this on the basis of Hortus Third). Since the two are now treated as synonyms, we can expect T. castanifolia to have either simple leaves, or with three leaflets. I think both your above photographs belong to Tecome castanifolia, and not T. stans. I think both your plants have not more than three leaflets.

Tecoma stans as specified by Gobby ji (and supported by Hortus Third) has leaves with 5-13 leaflets, much more brighter orange flowers. I am uploading both for your reference.

 

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[Giby Kuriakose]

Sir ji,  

I agree with you. 

I put a request to my friend to send me an illustration of T. castanifolia that I haven't received yet. 

Now with your pictures I think it become clear.

Thanks and Regards,

Giby 

--
GIBY KURIAKOSE PhD
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE),
Royal Enclave,
Jakkur Post, Srirampura
Bangalore- 560064
India
Phone - +91 9448714856 (Mobile)
visit my pictures @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/giby

[Anand Kumar Bhatt]

Singh ji is right. I have also observed that the flowers of T. castanifolia are in bunches, whereas T. stans flowers singly. I always felt that T. castanifolia is more attractive to look at because of this. 

ak

--
Anand Kumar Bhatt
A-59, B.S.F.Colony, Airport Road
Gwalior. 474 005.
Tele: 0751-247 2233. Mobile 0 94253 09780.
My blogsite is at:
http://anandkbhatt.blogspot.com
(A NEW BLOG has been ADDED ON 9 August 2011.)
And the photo site:
www.flickr.com/photos/akbhatt/

(NEW PHOTOS HAVE BEEN ADDED ON 15 March 2011.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ten most  common surnames of Indians: Singh, Kumar, Sharma, Patel, Shah, Lal, Gupta, Bhat, Rao, Reddy. Cheers!

[Giby Kuriakose]

I doubt whether T. stands flowers singly. 

I think they also produce flowers apical and axillary clusters. 

Regards,

Giby

[Gurcharan Singh]

Yes Giby ji

In clusters in both my photographs. In second one rest of the flowers of the cluster are partially hidden behind the leaf.

Single may be rarity. We should base our conclusions on most nature of most flowers/leaves on the plant, it also varies sometimes with cultural practices. In our area in a garden the trimmed shrubs all had simple leaves in Vitex trifoliata, but when new shoots came most had trifoliate leaves.

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[Subrata Mahapatra]

Thanks to Gurcharan ji for enlightening us with his wisdom. What i found is;- that leaves are opposite and trifoliate. I did send one sample but i am not sure whether it is available now.

The point that i want to make is its excellent suitability as  avenue tree just like Pride of India (L.speciosa ) adorns the IIT campus.

[Gurcharan Singh]

Yes Subrata ji

Today I saw a long avenue of Tecoma castanifolia along Noida toll bridge. It was profusely flowering and looking great.

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/