Petrea

plant genus

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

Petrea is a genus of tropical American woody vines belonging to the Verbenaceae family. These plants are known for their large blue or purple flowers, which appear in long racemes. A notable species within this genus is P. volubilis, commonly called purple wreath or sandpaper vine, recognized for its hanging clusters of violet-blue flowers and rough leaves. The Verbenaceae family is a worldwide grouping with many species valued for their ornamental flowers.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Verbenaceae
Outstanding among the 30 Petrea species, all tropical American, is a woody evergreen vine called purple wreath, or sandpaper vine (P. volubilis). It bears long, hanging clusters of violet-blue pansylike flowers and has oval leaves so rough as to be likened to sandpaper. The 220 species of the genus…
Read More
Outstanding among the 30 Petrea species, all tropical American, is a woody evergreen vine called purple wreath, or sandpaper vine (P. volubilis). It bears long, hanging clusters of violet-blue pansylike flowers and has oval leaves so rough as to be likened to sandpaper. The 220 species of the genus…
Read More