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African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata)

Dlium African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata)

African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata) is a species of plant in Bignoniaceae, a medium to large tree, growing up to 35 m high, trunk diameter up to 175 cm, flowers are reddish orange or dark red or yellow and are widely planted as ornamental and shade trees in all over the tropics.

S. campanulata has a sturdy trunk and occasionally supported, thick branches mottled with small white lenticels. The leaves are opposite, very wide and up to 50 cm long. Leaf blade elliptical or ovate, 15x7.5 cm with 7-8 main veins on each side, pubescent, protruding below, apex slightly sharp, base slightly asymmetrical and stalk up to 6 cm.







The flower has a short stalk, 2-3 mm thick, the ribs are almost straight and pubescent brown. Raceme is 8-10 cm long on stalks of the same length and a pair of small leaves about halfway, rachis and stalk thick, pubescent brown, bracts subtending pedicels lanceolate, curved, about 1 cm long, caducous and a pair of bractlets near the pedicel-like apex.

The petals are strongly curved upward, asymmetrical, about 5 cm long, pointed, slightly striped, dividing when blooming up to several mm from the base along the curve of the dorsal, apex, horn-like, blunt, sericeous brownish pubic exterior.

Crown is reddish orange or dark red or yellow, 10-12 cm long, leg mouth about 7 cm, lobe about 3 cm long, blunt, very sharp edge and orange-yellow. The filaments are about 5 cm long, anthers are dull orange, linear, 15 mm long, yellow in color, 8 cm long and reddish pistils. The fruit is lanceolate and 17-25 x 3.5-7 cm.

This plant naturally grows in forests, riverbanks and shrubs, up to an altitude of 2,000 meters and a pH of 5-7.5. This tree tolerates high winds and shade, but requires full sun for growth. Temperature 27-30C during the day.

Chemical constituents are alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, tannins, glycosides, sterols, cerebrosides, iridoids, ketones, phenols, carboxylic acids, benzyl benzoate, geranyl acetone, β-caryophyllene, farnesyl acetone, aromadendrene, tricosane.

This plant is used to treat malaria, HIV, diabetes mellitus, edema, dysentery, constipation, indigestion, boils, skin diseases, wounds, fever, urethral inflammation, antidote, reduces rashes in babies, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Bignoniaceae
Tribe: Tecomeae
Genus: Spathodea P.Beauv. in Fl. Oware 1: 46 (1805)
Species: Spathodea campanulata P.Beauv. in Fl. Oware 1: 47 (1805)
Subspecies: Spathodea campanulata subsp. campanulata, Spathodea campanulata subsp. congolana Bidgood, Spathodea campanulata subsp. nilotica (Seem.) Bidgood

PUBLICATIONS

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.

Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.

Aké Assi, L. (2001). Flore de la Côte-d'Ivoire: catalogue systématique, biogéographie et écologie. I. Boissiera 57: 1-396.

Aung, Y.L., Aung, M.H., Tan, Y. & Jin, X. (2025). An updated checklist of vascular plants of Myanmar. PhytoKeys 261: 135-364.

Baksh-Comeau, Y., Maharaj, S.S., Adams, C.D., Harris, S.A., Filer, D.L. & Hawthorne, W.D. (2016). An annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Trinidad and Tobago with analysis of vegetation types and botanical 'hotspots'. Phytotaxa 250: 1-431.

Berendsohn, W.G., Gruber, A.K. & Monterrosa Salomón, J. (2009). Nova silva cusatlantica. Árboles nativos e introduciados de El Salvador. Parte 1: Angiospermae - Familias A a L. Englera 29-1: 1-438.

Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 1: 1-114. ORSTOM, Bangui.

Brundu, G. & Camarda, I. (2013). The Flora of Chad: a checklist and brief analysis. PhytoKeys 23: 1-18.

Brunel, J.F., Hiepo, P. & Scholz, H. (eds.) (1984). Flore Analytique du Togo Phanérogames: 1-751. GTZ, Eschborn.

Burger, W. & Gentry, A.H. (2000). Bignoniaceae. Fieldiana Botany New Series, n.s., 41: 77-160. Field Museum of Natural History.

Catarino, L., Martins, E.S., Diniz, M.A. & Pinto-Basto, M.F. (2006). Check-list da flora vascular do parque natural das Lagos de Cufada (Guiné-Bissau). Garcia de Orta, Série de Botânica 17: 97-141.

Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Fischer, E., Rembold, K., Althof, A. & Obholzer, J. (2010). Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Kakamega forest, Western province, Kenya. Journal of East African Natural History 99: 129-226.

Garcia-Mendoza, A.J. & Meave, J.A. (eds.) (2012). Diversidad florística de Oaxaca: de musgos a angiospermas (colecciones y listas de especies), ed. 2: 1-351. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

Gentry, A. H. (1985). Bignoniaceae. Flore du Gabon 27: 19-56. Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, Paris; Margraf Publishers, Weikersheim; Meise Botanic Garden.

Girmansyah, D. & al. (eds.) (2013). Flora of Bali an annotated checklist: 1-158. Herbarium Bogorensis, Indonesia.

Gonzalez, F., Nelson Diaz, J. & Lowry, P. (1995). Flora Illustrada de San Andrés y Providencia: 1-281. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Colombia.

Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].

Jones, M. (1991). A checklist of Gambian plants: 1-33. Michael Jones, The Gambia College.

Kotiya, A., Solanki, Y. & Reddy, G.V. (2020). Flora of Rajasthan: 1-769. Rajasthan state biodiversity board.

Lejoy, J., Ndjele, M.-B. & Geerinck, D. (2010). Catalogue-flore des plantes vasculaires des districts de Kisangani et de la Tshopo (RD Congo). Taxonomania. Revue de Taxonomie et de Nomenclature Botaniques 30: 1-307.

Liben, L. (1977). Bignoniaceae. Flore d'Afrique Centrale (Zaïre - Rwanda - Burundi): 1-39. Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Meise.

Linares, J.L. (2003 publ. 2005). Lista comentado de los árboles nativos y cultivados en la República de El Salvador. Ceiba; a Scientific and Technical Journal Published by Zamorano 44: 105-268.

López Patiño, E.J., Szeszko, D.R., Rascala Pérez, J. & Beltrán Retis, A.S. (2012). The flora of the Tenacingo-Malinalco-Zumpahuacán protected natural area, state of Mexico, Mexico. Harvard Papers in Botany 17: 65-167.

Meyer, J.-Y., Lavergne, C. & Hodel, D.R. (2008). Time bombs in gardens: invasive ornamental palms in tropical islands, with emphasis on French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean) and the Mascarenes (Indian Ocean). Palms; Journal of the International Palm Society 52: 23-35.

Muer, T., Sauerbier, H. & Cabrara Calixto, F. (2020). Die Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Madeiras: 1-792. Verlag und Versandbuchhandlung Andreas Kleinsteuber.

Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Nurtjahya, E. & al. (2026). Flowering Plants of Bangka Island: Native and Introduced. Acta Botanica Hungarica 68: 127-156.

Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.

Sauerbier, H., Cabrera Calixto, F. & Muer, T. (2023). Flora Vascular de Canarias: 1-1514. Turquesa.

Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.

Smith, A.C. (1991). Flora Vitiensis Nova. A new flora for Fiji (Spermatophytes only) 5: 1-626. Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai.

Sosef, M.S.M. & al. (2006). Check-list des plantes vasculaires du Gabon. Scripta Botanica Belgica 35: 1-438.

Thulin, M. (ed.) (2006). Flora of Somalia 3: 1-626. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Turner, I.M. (1995). A catalogue of the vascular plants of Malaya. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 47(1): 1-346.

Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R. & Sohmer, S.H. (1999). Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i, rev. ed., 1: 1-988. University of Hawai'i Press, Bishop Museum Press.

Whistler, W.A. (2022). Flora of Samoa Flowering Plants: 1-930. National Tropical Botanicl Garden. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

VERNACULAR NAME

Afrikaans: Afrikaanse Vlamboom
Bengali: রুদ্রপলাশ Rudrapalash
Chinese (simplified): 火焰木 - 火焰树
Chinese (traditional): 火焰樹 - 苞萼木 - 火焰木
Czech: Spatodea zvonkovitá
Danish: Afrikansk tulipantræ
English: African tulip tree, Flame of the forest, African tulip tree, African Flame Tree, Nandi Flame
Finnish: Tulppaanitrumpetti
French: Tulipier du Gabon
German: Afrikanischer Tulpenbaum
Guangdong: 火焰樹 - 苞萼木 - 火焰木
Hebrew: מתחלית פעמונית
Hindi: रगटूरा Rugtoora
Hong Kong: 火焰樹 - 苞萼木 - 火焰木
Hungarian: Afrikai tulipánfa
Indonesian: Kecrutan, Kiacret
Japanese: カエンボク
Java: Crut-crutan
Kannada: Jeerkolavi kaayi, Neeru kaayi, Ucche kaayi
Kenya: Nandi Flame
Macao: 火焰樹 - 苞萼木 - 火焰木
Malaysia: Pancut-pancut
New Zealand: African tulip tree English
Polish: Spatodea dzwonkowata
Portuguese: Tulipeira-africana
Russian: Спатодея колокольчатая
Slovak: Tulipánovník zvončekovitý
Spanish: Tulipán africano, Galeana, Llama del bosque, Amapola, Mampolo
Sunda: Kiengsrot, Ki acret
Swedish: Afrikansk tulpanträd
Taiwan: 火焰木 - 火焰樹 - 苞萼木
Tamil: படடி Patadi
Thai: แคแสด
Tseltal: Tulipán

Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium
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