Red mussaenda
Mussaenda erythrophylla
Family: Rubiaceae
What it is like
A straggling shrub or vine. It grows 2-4 m tall. The branches are drooping or climbing. The leaves are narrowly oval. They are 7 cm long by 5 cm wide. The flower petals are yellow to pink with large red sepals. The fruit are oval and hairy.
It is probably used in medicine.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in light gaps in the forest. In Nigeria it is recorded at 600 and 1,500 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa (country/location of origin), Angola, Asia, Burundi, Cabinda, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Congo DR, Congo R, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nigeria, Pacific, Puerto Rico, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad-Tobago, Uganda, West Africa, West Indies
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Pwintu-ywettu-ahni
Synonyms
Mussaenda fulgens R. Br.; Mussaenda splendida Welw.;