Ixora javanica

Ixora javanica (Blume) DC.       

Family     : Rubiaceae

Common Name :അശോക-ചേതി(Mal)

                               Jungle Geranium(Eng)

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     IUCN status         :  Least concern (LC) -

Java Ixora is a shrub 1-3 m high or treelet up to 11 m high. Leaves are opposite, simple, elliptic-oblong or oblong-ovate, 7.5-17 cm by 2.5-7 cm, herbaceous, base narrowed, tip tapering, hairless, with 9-10 pairs lateral veins, shortly stalked, stipules 4 mm long, strongly pointed. Inflorescence is carried on a flower-cluster-stalk 1-4 cm long, short-hairy, loose panicle of 4-merous, bisexual, non-fragrant flowers 1.2 cm in diameter. Flower have a short sepal-cup tube, ovate sepals, flower tube 2.5-3.5 cm long, petals ovate, blunt or rounded, 6-8 mm long, orange-red sometimes pink or yellow, anthers pale orange, style 5 mm long slightly protruding. Fruit is 1 cm across, reddish-purple.

Shrubs 1-2 m tall; young branches glabrous. Leaf opposite, 10-20 x 4-7 cm, oblong or elliptic-oblong, apex acuminate, rounded or mucronate, base acute or rounded, glabrous; lateral nerves 9-13 pairs; petiole 5-8 mm long, glabrous; stipule 6-10 mm long, inner surface hairy and glandular, cusp 3-6 mm long. Inflorescence 3.5-5 cm wide, subsessile or peduncled; peduncle 2-3.5 cm long; bracts 1-4 mm long, ovate, acute, glabrous. Flowers several per head, yellowish-orange or bright red, generally in trichasia, the central ones sessile and ebracteolate, others pedicelled and bracteolate; pedicel 1-2.5 mm long, glabrous or pubescent; bracteole 0.5-1 mm long, ovate, acute