Vitex trifolia L. (shrub chastetree)

Family verbenaceae

A semi-deciduous shrub with dull brown tree bark, square twigs with short gray hairs, and terminate compound leaves with short fine hairs, the Vitex trifolia L. (shrub chastetree) looks somewhat similar to the Negundo Chastetree, except that the latter’s terminate compound leaves tell the difference. It has blue purple leaflets, white hairs on the outer edges of its calyxes, and double-cleft corollas: two at the upper and three at the lower with the middle one smaller. There is a yellow ring on the somewhat hairy flower bases. It mostly distributes in the estuaries and coastal Areas.

　　Source of Pictures: Self-shot Pictures