Reinwardtia indica Dumort.

Undershrub

Flowering & Fruiting: September-March.

Tufted undershrub about 1 m tall; branches erect and prostrate; branchlets angled or terete, glabrous. Leaves simple, alternate, spiral; petioles ca. 2-3 cm long, somewhat sheathing at base; lamina ca. 2.5-12 x 2-3.5 cm, usually elliptic-obovate or narrowly oblong-lanceolate, decurrent into a short petiole at base, acute or rounded and mucronate at apex, glabrous; secondary nerves 5-9 pairs. Inflorescences in terminal cymes solitary or in axillary ca. 4.5 cm long; Flowers ca. 2.5 cm across, yellow, scented; pedicels ca. 2 cm long, sparsely pilose, bracteate and bracteolate; sepals ca. 0.5-1 cm long, ovate to lanceolate, acute, 3-5 parallel veined; petals ca. 1-3.5 cm long, bright gloden yellow, broadly ovate to obovate, abruptly narrowed at base; stamens 5 alternating with 5 staminodes ca. 0.5-3 cm long; filaments dilated and connate at base with 2-3 glands adnate to the base; anthers basifixed; ovary ovoid-triangular; styles 5, free or connate at base; stigmas of long styles larger than those of short ones. Capsules globose, shorter than sepals, dehiscing into 6-8 cocci. Seeds one, thin, reniform, compressed.

Notes: Western Ghats, Evergreen Forests

Forests, hilly slopes, thickets, along trails, ravines

Common in dry grass lands and foot hills ascending to 1800 m.

The yellow dye is made from flower which is used for dyeing the clothes and making paints. This species is grown as an ornamental.

The branches and leaves are used medicinally. It is used in Indian traditional medicine for the treatment of paralysis. The crushed leaves and stems of the plant are used to heal a suppurating wound.