Sikkim blushwort
Aeschynanthus parviflorus

Family: Gesneriaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It grows hanging on larger plants. The stems are green and 1 m long. The leaves are opposite and thick and leathery. They are sword shaped and 12 cm long. The flowers are red and 3 cm long. They are in clusters at the ends of the branches. The flowers are tube shaped with small rounded petals at the tip. The fruit is a narrow capsule 30-50 cm long. The seeds have long hairs.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Bhutan, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Northeastern India, Sikkim

How it is used for food

The flowers are eaten with meat. They are also eaten raw.

Edible parts

Flowers

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Baklay patay, Bawlte-hlan-tai

Synonyms

Aeschanthus consobrinus Kraenzl.; Aeschynanthus maculatus Lindl.; Aeschynanthus maculatus var. sikkimensis C. B. Clarke; Aeschynanthus maculatus var. stenophyllus C. B. Clarke; Aeschynanthus ramosissima (C. B. Clarke) Stapf; Aeschynanthus sikkimensis (C. B. Clarke) Stapf; Trichosporum maculatum (Lindl.) Kuntze; Trichosporum parviflorum D. Don;