Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. | |
Apocynaceae | |
Desert Rose | |
| Botanical Name | Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult. |
| Synonyms | Adenium coetaneum Stapf; Adenium honghel A. DC.; Nerium obesum Forssk. |
| Family | Apocynaceae |
| Common Name | English: Desert rose, Adenium / Tamil: -- |
| Distribution | Global: Native to tropical Africa. Ornamental introduced throughout the World. Indian: Throughout India |
| Description | Small erect succulent plant grows up to 3m height and 6m height in wild. Mostly deciduous in dry land. Stem stout with swollen basal caudex. Leaves are simple, spirally arranged, clustered at the tip, entire and leathery. Flower pentamerous, tubular, bisexual, actinomorphic, complete, Calyx 5 sepals, toothed, mostly colour merge with corolla, petals 5, tubular or campanulate, bright red colour and varies according to varieties. Stamens 5 epipetalous, hairy filament. Ovary bicarpellary, apocarpous, superior, ovules many. Fruit elongated follicles, seeds brown and long. |
| Flowering Fruiting period | Throughout the year |
| Uses | Ornamental in garden and terrace potted plants. |
| Medicinal Uses | Plants used in the treatment of wound dressing, venereal diseases and as cardiac tonic. |
| Tamil Name | Desert Rose |