Scientific name: Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz

Family: Lythraceae

Synonym: Woodfordia tomentosa Bedd.

Bengali/Vernacular name: Dhaiphul, Rangkat, Dhatriphul, Dhain.

Tribal name: Japa-deli (Khumi), Se be gra (Marma), Mricha (Murang), Agunitita (Tanchangya).

English name: Fire-flame bush, Shiranjitea.

Description of the plant: A large shrub, about 2.5 m tall. Leaves 5-14 cm long, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, rarely falcate, more or less oblique, apex acuminate, base rounded to subcordate, entire, very shortly petiolate or almost sessile. Inflorescence axillary, short peduncled cymes, 3 to 16-flowered. Flowers tubular, bright red. Capsule ovate to elliptic.

Woodfordia fruticosa

Plant parts used: Bark, flower.

Ethnomedicinal uses: A paste is made with the flowers of the plant is applied on the infected skin for the treatment of skin disease.

Juice extracted from the flowers is administered for the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery.

Pea-sized pills made with the dried barks of the plant are taken thrice a day (two pills each time) until the splenomegaly is cured.

Flower juice is applied on the cutting wound until the bleeding is stopped.

Dried flowers are used to treat liver disorder. 

Distribution: It occurs in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka districts, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

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

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