Wikstroemia indica (L.) C.A. Mey.

Family: Thymelaeaceae

Synonym: Wikstroemia rotundifolia (L. f.) C.A. Mey.                      

Bengali/Vernacular name: Sotopata salago.

English name: Small-leaf salago.

Description of the Plant: A perennial herb or small undershrub, up to 50 cm tall. Leaves opposite, subsessile, lanceolate, entire, elliptic-oblong.Inflorescence terminal cyme. Flowers subsessile, upright, yellowish. Fruit a drupe, elliptic to globose, bright red when ripe.

Plant parts Used: Leaf, stem, root.

Traditional Uses: Paste prepared from the leaves and stems of the plant is applied for the treatment of eczema.
Roots of the plant are used as purgative.
The leaves and stems of the plant are used as insecticide in agriculture.

Distribution: This species is of restricted distribution in the Sitakundo hill range, common in Chittagong University campus at different elevations.

Is this plant misidentified? If yes, please tell us….