Common Name: Red mussaenda, Red flag bush.
Red mussaenda is a shrub of Tropical African origin. It is a popular ornamental plant and is available with most plant nurseries in Tamilnadu. It grows to a height of about 2 meters; the simple leaves are arranged in an opposite manner. The entire plant is pilose. The leaf stalk and leaf length measure around 3 mm and 5.5 cm respectively. The leaves are ovate in shape with an acute tip and the base of the leaf is shallowly sub-cordate. The inflorescence is in the form of a terminal cyme. The flower-bud is covered with reddish calyx elements and is hairy. The sepals are red in color and lanceloate in shape, the calyx teeth measure around 1.2 cm each. One of the calyx elements is very large (5 cm in length) in the shape of a leaf and blood red in color. The funnel shaped flower is five lobed, the petals are cream in color; the central portion of the flower is red in color. The flower encloses 5 stamens. The plant rarely produces fruit and same was not encountered. Red mussaenda is an ornamental plant much valued for its cream colored flower that appear along with the blood red colored bracts. The plant flowers all through the year and can be planted as a nectar source plant to attract birds and insects. Red mussaenda is the larval host plant for Commander Butterfly (source www.ifoundbutterflies.org).
