''Clerodendrum floribundum'', known as the lolly bush or smooth clerodendrum, is a shrub or tree found in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea). It is a simplified version of ...

. The habitat is in or at the margins of coastal

rainforests Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest ...

, up to 300 metres above sea level. In

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

it grows in drier areas; such as rocky sites, gorges, cliffs, floodplains and creek beds. The leaves may be drawn into a blunt tip, a prickle or a sharp tip. They are variable in shape, usually 4 to 15 cm long, 2 to 6 cm wide. The young leaves are not as hairy as with the related downy chance. The generic term ''Clerodendrum'' is from the Greek, meaning "lottery tree". The term "lottery" refers to an unsure possibility of a medicinal value from plants of this genus. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''floribundum'' refers to the abundance of flowers in showy heads. The fruit is a black

drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or '' pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel'') ...

, growing on an enlarged red fleshy calyx. It appears glossy and succulent, giving rise to the common name "lolly bush". Usually a small tree, however it has been recorded at 30 metres tall with a stem diameter of 30 cm at

Booyong Flora Reserve The Booyong Flora Reserve is a protected nature reserve located in Booyong in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The subtropical jungle is situated northeast of Lismore and is a remnant of the Big Scrub, of which less t ...

, in northern

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

.(other publication details, included in citation)
/ref> White fragrant flowers form in cymes between September and December. There is some debate whether this plant is found in rainforests of the

Illawarra The Illawarra is a coastal region in the Australian state of New South Wales, nestled between the mountains and the sea. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongo ...

. A.G.Floyd says it is found as far south as

Batemans Bay Batemans Bay is a town on the South Coast region of the state of New South Wales, Australia. Batemans Bay is administered by the Eurobodalla Shire council. The town is situated on the shores of an estuary formed where the Clyde River meets the ...

and growing north to Cape York at the northernmost point of the continent. Then west through the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

and Western Australia. However, the

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney is a heritage-listed major botanical garden, event venue and public recreation area located at Farm Cove on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government ar ...

say records in the far south east may not be accurate. The leaves are host to the caterpillar of the Fiery Jewel Butterfly. Regeneration is from fresh seeds or cuttings. It is an easy plant to grow, requiring plenty of water. In 1810, this species first appeared in scientific literature, in the ''

Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae ''Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen'' (Prodromus of the Flora of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land) is a flora of Australia written by botanist Robert Brown and published in 1810. Often referred to as ''Prodromus Flora Novae ...

'', authored by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown. Originally collected on the voyage of

Captain Cook James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...

's ship, the Endeavour. Several varieties appear in publications, such as: * ''Clerodendrum floribundum ''var''. floribundum'' * ''Clerodendrum floribundum ''var''. attenuatum'' * ''Clerodendrum floribundum ''var''. latifolium'' * ''Clerodendrum floribundum ''var''. coriaceum'' * ''Clerodendrum floribundum ''var''. angustifolium'' File:Clerodendrum Mount Keira.JPG, leaves,

Mount Keira Mount Keira () is a suburb and mountain in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Mount Keira is a site of significant cultural heritage for the Wodi Wodi people. The name Mount Keira derives from the Wodi Wodi name for the mounta ...

File:Clerodendrum floribundum flowers.jpg, Flowers File:Clerodendrum floribundum fruits.jpg, Fruit

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5131941 Ornamental trees Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Flora of the Northern Territory Eudicots of Western Australia Flora of New Guinea floribundum Trees of Australia Plants described in 1810 Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773)