Scientific name: Duranta erecta L.
Family: Verbenaceae
Synonym: Duranta repens L.
Bengali/Vernacular name: Duranto, Katamehedi.
English name: Skyflower, Golden dewdrop, Heliotrope bush.
Description of the plant: A shrub with straggling and drooping branches. Leaves are small, obovate-elliptic, 3-6 cm long, with pointed or rounded tips and pointed base; the margins entire or slightly toothed. Inflorescence of axillary to terminal raceme, 5-20 cm long, laxly many-flowered. Flowers blue, lilac, violet, light violet or purple. Fruit fleshy, ovoid, orange-yellow.
Plant parts used: Leaf, fruit.
Ethnomedicinal uses: A paste is made with the leaves of the plant is applied on the boils once a day for four days to treat it.
The fruits of the plant are used to treat fever, malaria, and intestinal worms.
Paste prepared from the leaves of the plant is applied on the biting place twice a day for four days to treat insect stings.
Distribution: It is found all over the country.
Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….
