Shrub, 1.5-3 m tall, laxly branched. Leaves verticillate, sessile, 3-5 in each whorl, narrowly lanceolate, 10-20 cm long, 1-2.5 cm broad, entire, acute. Cymes verticillately arranged to form a terminal, 20-25 cm long panicle. Flowers white, c. 1.5 cm across; bracts 5-10 mm long, reddish when young, linear to linear-lanceolate; pedicels up to 1.5 cm long. Calyx-lobes 6-7 mm long, ovate-lanceolate. Corolla-tube 8-10 mm long, glabrous; lobes ovate-oblong, 10-12 mm long, obtuse. Drupe c. 1 cm in diameter, bluish-black, enclosed by enlarged red coloured calyx.

Fl. Per.: July-October.

Type: Habitat in India.

Distribution: India, Burma, Malaysia, Indochina and Java.

A favourite ornamental of our gardens. Root is used in chest troubles, and the juice of the leaves mixed with butter fat is applied to cure herpetic eruptions etc. A resin obtained from the plant is used for checking syphilitic rheumatism.