Description:

• Herbs, shrubs or small trees, with branches often 4-angled, sometimes spinescent
• Leaves mostly opposite or whorled, simple, variously lobed or deeply dissected, entire or serrate, frequently aromatic; stipules 0
• Flowers mostly ± irregular, bisexual, often 2-lipped, in spikes, racemes or corymbs
• Calyx 4- or 5(6-8)-lobed or -toothed, tubular or campanulate, persistent, sometimes enlarged in fruit
• Corolla tubular, 4- or 5-lobed
• Stamens usually 4, didynamous, arising from corolla tube and alternating with corolla lobes; anthers with 2 parallel or divergent thecae with longitudinal slits; rarely staminodes present
• Disc usually inconspicuous
• Ovary superior, entire or slightly to moderately 4-lobed, initially usually 2-locular but later sometimes subdivided by intrusive partitions into 4(8) locules, with a single ovule in each locule; ovules basal, erect, pendulous, or laterally attached to infolded margins of carpels or rarely to a central column, anatropous; style terminal, simple, often much exserted; stigma entire or bifid, occasionally 4-lobed
• Fruit a drupe with 2 or 4 pyrenes or dividing at maturity into 2 or 4 nutlets or pyrenes
• Seeds usually with a membranous testa; embryo straight; endosperm 0 or sparse

Classification Notes:

• In agreement with Cantino (1992), four genera, Clerodendrum, Karomia, Premna and Vitex, formerly regarded as belonging to the Verbenaceae, are placed in the Lamiaceae

Nomenclature:

• Verbenaceae
  • Linnaeus: 18 (1753)
  • Linnaeus: 12 (1754)
  • Friedrich-Holzhammer: 1 (1967)
  • Verdcourt: 1 (1992)
  • Zomlefer: 262 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera 36, ± 1 035 species in tropical and subtropical regions, with only a limited number of representatives in temperate regions
• Southern Africa: Genera 8, species ± 40

References:

• CANTINO, P.D. 1992. Toward a phylogenetic classification of the Labiatae. Advances in Labiate Science. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
• FRIEDRICH-HOLZHAMMER, M. 1967. Verbenaceae. Prodromus einer Flora von Südwestafrika 122
• LINNAEUS, C. 1753. Species plantarum. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm.
  LINNAEUS, C. 1754. Genera plantarum, edn 5. Laurentius Salvius, Stockholm
• VERDCOURT, B. 1992. Flora of tropical East Africa. Verbenaceae
• ZOMLEFER, W.B. 1994. Guide to flowering plant families. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill

Resources:

• Key to Verbenaceae genera

• Verbenaceae genera: