Common Name: Yellow oleander, Lucky nut. Tamil Name: Ponnarali, Thiruvachipoo.
Yellow oleander is a large evergreen shrub that grows to around 3 meters in height; it is a native of Tropical America naturalized in India. The entire plant is poisonous and it is a popular hedge plant in Tamilnadu. The simple leaves are arranged in an opposite manner; leaves are found often bunched towards the tip of the branches. The plant discharges white latex when nipped. The leaf stalk and leaf length measure around 2 mm and 8.7 cm respectively. The leaves are glossy green in color; they are lanceolate in shape; the base and apex of the leaf taper sharply. The inflorescence is in the form of a terminal cyme; flowers are funnel shaped and have five yellow colored petals. The calyx on the open-flower has a star like shape and green in color; five sepal elements are present; the sepals are ovate in shape and have an acute tip and measure around 6 mm each. The flower petals are obovate in shape and measure around 4 cm in length. The funnel shaped flower measure around 6 cm in length. The flowers are strongly fragrant. The fruit is in the form of a drupe in the shape of an inverted cone and it encloses flat seeds inside.
