Duranta erecta

D. erecta is a sprawling or vine-like tender evergreen shrub or small tree, growing up to 7 m tall and spreading to an equal width (Munir, 1995;Floridata, 2015). It typically grows in a clump with multiple branches that droop towards the ground (Floridata, 2015). The bark is light brown and slightly furrowed (Andreu et al., 2010). The stems of mature plants usually have sharp axillary thorns, which are absent in younger plants of this species (Missouri Botanical Garden, 2018). Leaves are ovate, paired, opposite, and between 2.5 and 7.6 cm long (Floridata, 2015). Flowers hang in long racemes (approx. 15 cm) and are small, tubular and range from purple and white to violet or blue (Andreu et al., 2010). The fruit is approximately 7-10 mm in diameter, subglobose or obpyriform and is orange-yellow in colour (Munir, 1995).