76-PLUMERIA RUBRA
Local names: Red Frangipani, Champa, Chafa
Family: Apocynaceae
Location: Jounior Science building, Marathwada College building.
Characters: It grows as a spreading shrub or small tree to a height of 2–8 m and similar width. It has a thick succulent trunk and sausage-like blunt branches covered with a thin grey bark. The branches are somewhat brittle and when broken, ooze a white latex that can be irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. This latex found in the stem of the plants is in fact toxic, but not deadly unless present in large quantities. The large green leaves can reach 30 to 50 cm long and are arranged alternately and clustered at the end of the branches. The boles of these plants can be up to 25 cm in the wild. It tends to be smaller in cultivation. They are deciduous, falling in the cooler months of the year. The flowers are terminal, appearing at the ends of branches over the summer. The colors range from the common pink to white with shades of yellow in the centre of the flower. Initially tubular before opening out, the flowers are 5–7.5 cm in diameter, and only rarely go on to produce seed - 20-60 winged seeds are contained in a 17.5 cm pod. The fruits are cylindrical pods, rarely found in cultivation.
General use: Flowers is used for necklaces, as offerings to deities or as decoration for coffins. The leaves of this species are used in the care of sores and made into soothing infusions. The flowers and bark of it are also used in traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of fever, bacillary dysentery, pertussis and so on. The plant is an antifungal, antiviral, analgesic, antispasmodic, and hypoglycemic. It is also reported to contain agoniadin, plumierid, plumeric acid, cerotinic acid, and lupeol, and the stem possesses an alkaloid called triterpinoid. The plant has been known to promote digestion and excretion, along with respiratory and immune functions. The sap of the plant is used as a laxative and is a remedy for bloating and stomachaches. The flowers can be boiled in water or juice and made into a salad to promote bowel movement, urine flow, and to control gas and phlegm. The flowers are also used in the treatment of asthma. They are also used to make a scented oil. The flowers are used to scent coconut oil. The bark contains faint purplish streaks and the wood is hard and compact with a very fine texture.