Volkameria inermis, the glory bower, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Volkameria of the family Lamiaceae, found in mangrove shores and coastal forests of Australia, Asia, Malesia and the Pacific islands.[1] It is also naturalised in Tunisia, north of Africa.[2]
The tree is a shrub 1–4 metres, but it can grow into a tree with a height up to 10 m. It has woody, smooth stems. Its leaves are arranged alternately, each blade is elliptical with a length of 1.5–4 centimetres with a smooth surface and dark green on its underside.[1] [2]
The flower is trumpet-shaped with white petals 1.5–4 cm long and long reddish or purple stamens. It grows in clusters each made of 3 to 7 of them joined at the base. Its fruit is round or egg-shaped with a length of 1 cm, it turns from green to black when ripe. When the fruit is dried up, it breaks into 4 lobes with thick corky walls. The tree flowers and bears fruit around the same time from July to December, the fruit ripen in March.[1] [2]
Its parts has many medical properties. The seeds and roots are used to treat venom from bitten by some fish and other marine animals.[1]