Common name: Cape Honeysuckle
Tecoma capensis (Thunb.) Lindl. APNI* Synonyms: Tecomaria capensis (Thunb.) Spach APNI* Bignonia capensis Thunb. APNI*
Description: Rambling, subscandent shrub to 3 m high.
Leaves 6.5–14 cm long; leaflets 5–9, elliptic to ovate, ± circular to rhombic, 1–4 cm long, 5–25 mm wide, apex acuminate, margins toothed, glabrous; petioles 1–3 cm long; lateral petiolules 1–2 mm long.
Inflorescences dense. Calyx 5–6 mm long. Corolla 5–6 cm long, orange or reddish orange to scarlet, sometimes yellow (e.g. Tecoma capensis 'Aurea'); tube curved; lobes c. 10 mm long.
Capsule linear-oblong, 3–6.5 cm long, c. 7 mm wide; winged seeds c. 15 mm long.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: commonly cultivated as an ornamental, sometimes as a hedge plant; occasionally naturalised in coastal districts. Possibly naturalised on Lord Howe Island where it has been recorded along roadside as a garden escape. Native of S Africa.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic.
There are cultivars with yellow, pinkish and salmon coloured flowers.
Text by A.L. Quirico, Flora of New South Wales Vol. 3: 538 (1992); updated by P.G. Kodela, May 2016, May 2017) Taxon concept: Australian Plant Census (accessed May 2017)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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