Common Name: Port St. John’s creeper, Pink trumpet vine.
Pink trumpet vine is a woody creeper and a native of South Africa. Although a creeper it produces no tendrils: often pruned and shaped as a hedge-cum-ornamental plant in Tamilnadu. It produces bell shaped pink colored flowers which are attractive. Pink trumpet vine is often planted as an ornamental in town areas and home gardens in Nilgiri district. The leaves are compound and arranged in an opposite manner; the leaflets are also arranged in an opposite manner. Typically about 5 pairs of leaflets are seen and the axis ends in a leaf. The leaf margin is gently serrate. The leaflet measure around 5 cm in length. The leaves are oblong in shape with an acuminate apex and a cuneate base. The inflorescence is in the form of terminal raceme. The flower stalk and flower measure around 1.6 cm and 4.5 cm respectively. The calyx is brown in color measuring around 1 cm in length and consists of five sepal teeth. The fragrant flower has 5 petals which are joined below to form a bell-like shape. The stamens are arranged in a didynamous manner. The flowers are pink in color with darker patches of pink seen at the throat of the flower.
