Ixora coccinea
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
Botanical survey by Ishan Shrivastava
'''{{Speciesbox
|image = Ixora coccinea.jpg
|image_caption = Ixora coccinea in Kerala, India
|genus = Ixora
|species = coccinea
|authority = L.
}}
Ixora coccinea (also known as jungle geranium, flame of the woods or jungle flame or pendkuli) is a species of flowering plant in the family Rubiaceae.{{Cite web|url=http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Ixora%20red.html|title=Ixora coccinea catalog|publisher=Flowers of India|access-date=5 July 2015}} It is a common flowering shrub native to Southern India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It has become one of the most popular flowering shrubs in South Florida gardens and landscapes.{{Cite web|url=http://www.toxicologycentre.com/English/plants/Botanical/techi.html|title=Ixora coccinea Linn|publisher=Toxicology Center|access-date=5 July 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705150339/http://www.toxicologycentre.com/English/plants/Botanical/techi.html|archivedate=5 July 2015}}{{Cite web |last=no_name12 |date=2022-02-15 |title=40 Florida Shrubs (Flowering, Evergreen, Vines): Pictures and Identification |url=https://leafyplace.com/florida-shrubs/ |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=Leafy Place |language=en-US}} It is the national flower of Suriname.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}
Description
File:Ixora coccinea Pink INDIA (3).jpg
Ixora coccinea is a dense, multi-branched evergreen shrub, commonly {{convert|4–6|ft|m|abbr=on}} in height, but capable of reaching up to {{convert|12|ft|m|abbr=on}} high. It has a rounded form, with a spread that may exceed its height. The glossy, leathery, oblong leaves are about {{convert|4|in|cm|abbr=on}} long, with entire margins, and are carried in opposite pairs or whorled on the stems. Small tubular, scarlet flowers in dense rounded clusters {{convert|2-5|in|cm|abbr=on}} across are produced almost all year long.
Cultivation and use
File:Jungle geranium seeds @ Kanjirappally, Kerala 02.JPG
Although there are around 500 species in the genus Ixora, only a handful are commonly cultivated, and the common name, Ixora, is usually used for I. coccinea. I. coccinea is used in warm climates for hedges and screens, foundation plantings, massed in flowering beds, or grown as a specimen shrub or small tree. In cooler climate, it is grown in a greenhouse or as a potted house plant requiring bright light. I. coccinea is also grown in containers, looking very distinguished as a patio or poolside plant. This tight, compact shrub is much branched and tolerates hard pruning, making it ideal for formal hedges, although it is at its best when not sheared.
File:Ixora coccinea Blanco1.21.jpg]]There are numerous named cultivars differing in flower colour (yellow, pink, orange) and plant size. Several popular cultivars are dwarfs, usually staying under {{convert|3|ft|m|abbr=on}} in height. Nora Grant is a popular dwarf and Super King is a popular hybrid with much larger flower clusters. Many new cultivars and hybrids of I. coccinea have come to market in the last couple of decades, leading to a resurgence in popularity for the beautiful flame-of-the-woods.
The flowers, leaves, roots, and the stem are used to treat various ailments in the Indian traditional system of medicine, the Ayurveda, and in various folk medicines, in traditional Indian medicine the fusion of juice leaves and the fruit of Ixora coccinea is used to care for dysentery, ulcers and gonorrhea.
Chemical constituents
Phytochemical studies indicate that the plant contains the phytochemicals lupeol, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, sitosterol, rutin, lecocyanadin, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and glycosides of kaempferol and quercetin.Baliga MS, Kurian PJ "Ixora coccinea Linn.: traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology", Chin J Integr Med. 2012 Jan;18(1):72-9
Taxonomy
Ixora coccinea was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum 1: 110.[http://www.tropicos.org/Name/27900204 Ixora coccinea en Trópicos]
''Ixora'' cultivars
File:Pentas Star Flower.JPG
File:IxoraCoccineaMiami.JPG
File:20180526-161007flower.jpg
File:Ixora coccinea in an urban ornamental garden 2 (cropped).jpg
File:IXORA_IN_PARTIAL_BLOOM.JPG
File:Colpfl16a.jpg
File:Thechi rose.jpg
File:Chethi.JPG
File:Ixora coccinea red.JPG
File:Ixora coccinea- jungle geranium.JPG
File:Ixora coccinea White.JPG
File:Chethi poo in Thiruvananthapuram, India.JPG
File:West Indian Jasmine -- Ixora.jpg
File:Ixora coccinea 3.JPG
File:Ixora coccinea (pink).jpg
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Ixora coccinea}}
- [http://www.floridata.com/ref/I/ixor_coc.cfm Floridata - Jungle Geranium]
- [http://www.floridagardener.com/pom/ixora.htm Florida Gardener - Jungle Geranium]
- [http://www.comfsm.fm/~dleeling/botany/1999/vhp/ixora_coccinea.html College of Micronesia - Jungle Geranium]
- [http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/rubiaceae/ World Checklist of Rubiaceae]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1856114}}
Category:Garden plants of Asia
Category:National symbols of Suriname