Classification:
Kingdom: Plantae - Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta - Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta - Seed plants
Division; Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Myrtales
Family: Lythraceae – Loosestrife family
Genus: Lagerstroemia L. – Lagerstroemia
Species: duperreana Pierre ex Gagnep.

(Stevens, P. F. (2001+). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 7, May 2007 [updated 05/28/2007]. http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/.)

multiple trunks with light brown to gray bark. The bark is very distinctive as it is very smooth and flakes off in large sections to reveal the new bark developing underneath. The leaves of Lagerstroemia duperreana are deciduous, which contributes to the striking appearance of this species as flowers production coincides with leaf production in the early spring. The leaves are ovate in shape and are arranged in pairs along the branches. The flowers of Lagerstroemia duperreana and pink to light purple and have 5 petals with a long narrow claw that supports the wider upper portion of the petal. The upper portion of the petal can be up to 2.5 cm wide. The fruit of Lagerstroemia duperreana is a brown capsule that is dry at maturity and splits open to release the small, winged seeds.

Lagerstroemia duperreana is deciduous and will shed its leaves during the dry season.

(Lamotte, S., J. Gajeseni, and F. Malaisse. 1998. Structure diversity in three forest types of north-eastern Thailand (Sakaerat Reserve, Pak Tong Chai). Biotechnology, Agronomy, Society, and Environment. 2(3): 192-202.)

speciosa) predominantly used as ornamental plants. These species do well in full sun on a range of well-drained soils, but are not salt tolerant. Propagation of these Lagerstroemia species is by seed, by cuttings, or by division of root suckers. Seeds of these species germinate readily and plants will flower from as early as the second year of following establishment. Lagerstroemia duperreana is not one of the widespread crape-myrtle species in cultivation.

(Gilman, E.F. and D.G. Watson. 1993. Lagerstroemia speciosa: Queens Crape-Myrtle. USFS Fact Sheet ST-349.)

(Staples, G. W. and D. R. Herbst. 2005. A Tropical Garden Flora: Plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawai’i.)