Temple flower, Wavy trumpet flower
Dolichandrone atrovirens

Family: Bignoniaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It grows 2-5 m tall. It loses its leaves during the year. The young branches are hairy. The leaves are glossy and on drooping boughs. The leaves are compound and 10 cm long. There are leaflets along the stalk. There are 5-7 leaflets. The leaflets are 4 cm long. The flowers are white and large. They are in groups in the axils of leaves. The flowers are 5 cm long and 1 cm wide. The fruit is a capsule 25 cm long. It is brown and ribbed. The seeds have wings.

There are about 9 Dolichandrone species. They grow in coastal mangrove swamps.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows up to 1,000 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, India, Myanmar, SE Asia

How it is used for food

The young fruit and flowers are eaten as a vegetable.

Edible parts

Flowers, fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Belundara, Belundare, Chithodi, Good murki, Iruvoddi, Oddi, Pumpadiri, Perudi, Thakut, Vadi, Vankaniroddi, Vattalappu

Synonyms

Bignonia crispa Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.; Dolichandrone crispa (Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.) Seem.; Spathodea atrovirens (Roth) Spreng.; and others