''Crateva religiosa'', the sacred garlic pear or temple plant, is a species of flowering tree. It is a member of the capers family. The tree is sometimes called the spider tree because the showy flowers bear long, spidery

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s. It is native to much of tropical Asia and several South Pacific islands. It is grown elsewhere for fruit, especially in parts of Africa. The garlic pear tree is a

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

that can grow up to . The nectar-filled flowers are attractive to a multitude of insects and birds. A pierid butterfly, '' Hebomoia glaucippe'', is a frequent visitor to this plant. The chemical compound lupeol can be extracted from the bark of ''C. religiosa''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q311133 Capparaceae Flora of tropical Asia Flora of the Pacific