Plumeria rubra L.
Vernacular name: Red Frangipani, Temple Tree, Kath Champa (Hindi: गुलैन्ची / गोबर चम्पा)
Species Name: Plumeria rubra L.
Family: Apocynaceae
Habit: Deciduous to semi-evergreen small tree.
Stem: Erect, much-branched, succulent when young; bark greyish-brown; branches thick and fleshy, exuding milky latex when injured.
Leaf: Alternate, clustered near branch tips, oblong to elliptic-lanceolate, 15–30 × 5–10 cm, entire, leathery, glabrous; apex acute to acuminate.
Flowering: Mainly spring–summer; may flower for much of the year under favourable conditions.
Flowers: Fragrant, showy, white, pink, red or yellowish within the corolla, borne in terminal cymose clusters; corolla tubular with 5 spreading lobes; stamens 5, inserted inside the tube; ovary superior, bicarpellary.
Fruit: Paired, elongated follicles, 15–30 cm long, green turning brown at maturity; seeds numerous, flattened and winged.
Uses:
- Folk remedies uses external application of preparation of crushed flowers and bark to soothe and treat skin ailments like ulcers, itching and eczema.
- Topical application of decoctions of leaf and root are used to alleviates toothaches, joint inflammations and rheumatism.
- Extracts of root, flower and bark is used as purgatives, mild laxative and to treat cough, congestion, constipation, dysentery, acute enteritis and haemophilia.
- Sap of plant can be used to treat stings of bees and wasps and centipede bites.
- Plant is found to have antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, analgesic, antispasmodic, antitumor and uterine stimulant properties.
- Widely cultivated as an ornamental and sacred tree around temples, gardens and roadsides for its fragrant flowers. Flowers are commonly used in religious offerings in India and Hawaii garlands, leis. But the latex is irritating and the plant should not be consumed casually.
- Extracts of fragrant flowers are used to manufacture perfumes, scented oils, cosmetics and incense sticks. These oils can be used to lower stress levels, calm the mind and elevate mood.
- Compact hard wood is fine textured and can be used to make small wooden articles.
- Milky latex produced by all parts of plant can be processed to produce rubber.
