Introduction: Spreading perennial shrub about 3 m, sometimes up to 7 m high with drooping branches. Bark is rough red in color, thinner and easily extractable. Leaves are sessile, 5 to 12 cm long, 1 to 3 cm width, opposite, sometimes whorls of three, oblong to lanceolate, acuminate, entire, upper surface dark green and lower surface velvety, with black dots. Flowers short stalked, scarlet, in few-flowered axillary cymes.

Availability: Naturally distributed from 200 to 1500 m in dry and open places throughout Nepal.

Harvesting Time: April to May.

Description of traded part: Flower is crimson or red in color, having small petiole, like tube with sweet smell. Leaves and petiole pieces are mixed with flower.

Uses: Flower yield a red dye. Flower, boiled in water, are taken in case of profuse menstruation, indigestion, Dysentery, bleeding from nose and mouth, Diarrhea etc.