Common Name: White thunbergia, Common forest thunbergia. Tamil Name: Indirapushpam
White thunbergia is an attractive twinning vine which grows to about 3 meters. The plant is valued for its medicinal properties in traditional Siddha medicine. The leaves are cooked and consumed in some parts of India. The simple leaves are arranged in an opposite manner. The upper leaf surface is slightly rough. The leaf stalks measurers around 4 cm and appears grooved. The leaf length is variable- around 6-7.2 cm. The leaf shape is ovate, leaf base is truncate and apex acute. The leaf margin is entire expect for two to three dentate projections. The flowers are mostly single and axillary. The flower has five white petal segments which are fused. The flower tube measures around 2.5 cm in length. The flowers measure around 4.5 cm across. The flower is guarded by two green colored bracts which measure around 1.1 cm each. The calyx consists of several green small lancelolate projections. The flower has four stamens which are attached to the petals and come in two sets of different sizes; a single style is present. The fruit is in the form of a beaked capsule it encloses four black colored seeds.
