ခရာဝါ

Myanmar Name –  Khayawa

Common Name – Golden trumpet

Botanical Name – Allamanda cathartica L.

Family Name – Apocynaceae

Habitat – Native to Brazil but is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world.

Habit – An evergreen shrub or vine that can reach heights of 2-4 meters (6.5-13 feet) when grown as a shrub and up to 10 meters (33 feet) when allowed to climb.

Stem– Smooth and light brown to gray in color. As the plant matures, the bark may develop a slightly rough texture with fine fissures.

Leaves – Opposite, simple, and elliptic to obovate in shape. They are dark green, glossy, and leathery with entire margins. Each leaf measures about 5-15 cm (2-6 inches) in length and 2-6 cm (0.8-2.4 inches) in width.

Inflorescence – Typically a terminal cyme, which means the flowers are borne at the ends of the branches.

Flower – large, trumpet-shaped, and bright yellow. Each flower measures about 7-10 cm (2.8-4 inches) in diameter. The corolla is fused into a tube with five spreading lobes. The throat of the flower is often darker yellow.

Fruit & Seed– A spiny capsule that measures about 4-7 cm (1.6-2.8 inches) in diameter. When mature, the capsule splits open to release numerous seeds. The seeds are flat, brown, and winged

Flowering and Fruiting Time – Flowering time from May to November and fruiting time from August to December.

Usage – Cultivated as an ornamental plant and used to treat a variety of ailments, such as jaundice and liver diseases in traditional medicine.