Clerodendrum cephalanthum Oliv.

Usually scandent or sometimes ± erect shrub 0.6–6 m. long or tall, climbing by spine-like persistent petiole-bases 1–1.5 cm. long.. Young stems finely to densely pubescent but later glabrous, or entirely glabrous with pale brown corky bark or sometimes persistently spreading pubescent.. Leaves oblong-elliptic, 2.8–25.4 cm. long, 1.3–9(–16) cm. wide, acute to acuminate or subacute at the apex, often rather less acuminate than in species 9, cuneate to rounded at the base, entire or very widely crenate-dentate near apex, usually coriaceous, ± bullate, venation usually distinctly impressed above and raised beneath, ± glabrous or sparsely hairy on the midrib beneath or in one subspecies pubescent to ± velvety beneath; petiole 0.8–4 cm. long, pubescent.. Inflorescences few–many-flowered, capitate or subglobose to ovoid, 3–6 cm. long and wide, often run together for up to 12 cm. long or 25 cm. diameter; pedicels up to 7 mm. long.. Bracts linear to elliptic then similar to but usually smaller than the calyx-lobes.. Calyx green, pink, purple or maroon; tube 3 mm. long; lobes ovate or narrowly ovate, 0.8–1.7 cm. long, 6–7.5 mm. wide, ± accrescent, acute, subacute or even ± obtuse, usually less distinctly acuminate than in related species but sometimes mucronulate to tapering, glabrous or only shortly obscurely ciliate and puberulous at tip, the venation often rather obscure, scarcely to distinctly raised and reticulate, the lamina very often distinctly densely punctate.. Corolla scented, white; tube (3.5–)7.5–10 cm. long, ± glabrous outside or with gland-tipped hairs; lobes 1.3 cm. long, 6 mm. wide; style and stamens exserted 3.5 cm., the stigma and upper part of style often purple; anthers crimson.. Fruit blackish, subglobose, 0.9–1.5 cm. long and wide, 4-lobed.