Scientific Name: Combretum indicum (L.) DeFilipps

Synonyms: Kleinia quadricolor Crantz, Quisqualis ebracteata P.Beauv.

Unique ID: 121

Systematic Position

Class: Dicotyledonae

Sub Class: Polypetalae                         

Series: Calyciflorae

Order: Myrtales

Family: Combretaceae

Common Names

English – Rangoon creeper

Malayalam – തൂക്കുചെത്തി

Tamil –  Irangunmalle

Hindi – Madhumalati

Description: Twining liana, attaining 6 m in length. Stem much branched from the base; branches cylindrical, somewhat compressed in the area of the nodes, glabrous or puberulous, usually with the pith hollow; adult stems deciduous, with 3 persistent spines at the nodes. Leaves opposite or subopposite; blades 6-17.5 × 2.2-7 cm, elliptical, oblong, or lanceolate, chartaceous, the apex acuminate, the base rounded, the margins entire; upper surface glabrous, with a prominent midvein; lower surface ferruginous-tomentulose or puberulous, with prominent venation; petioles 5-12 mm long. Flowers sessile or subsessile, in terminal spikes or racemes on short lateral branches. Hypanthium green, tubular, 4-6.5 mm long, pubescent; sepals green, triangular, ca. 2 mm long; petals 5, oblong or oblanceolate, 1-1.5 cm long, pink, turning red when mature; stamens exserted, the filaments unequal; disc absent; style exserted. Fruit elliptical in outline, angular, with 5 narrow wings, ca. 3 cm long.

Habitat:  C. indicum is commonly cultivated in homes and gardens, and has been known to naturalize around inhabited areas.

Distribution: C. indicum is considered native to southern Asia and possibly tropical Africa .

Uses:  Boundary; fruits,seeds, vegetable; baskets,fibre; source of medicine; ornamnetal