Mussaenda frondosa


Mussaenda frondosa, commonly known as the wild mussaenda or dhobi tree, is a plant of family Rubiaceae. It is a shrub that grows to about tall. Like most other Mussaenda species, they have a bract beneath their flowers, which in this species is white in colour.

Description

The shrub may also grow as a scandent climber. The flowers are clusters of orange-yellow tubular flowers with one of their five sepals enlarged into a white petal-like form, set among pale green, oval leaves; berries follow the bloom. The erect, branching stem has a shrubby crown.

Distribution

Mussaenda frondosa is native to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. It is found on Nilgiri slopes to elevations of. Justus Carl Hasskarl recorded its presence in recently cleared land in Java.