NHD53/7

Rangoon creeper

Combretum indicum L.; Combretaceae family

Original inscriptions: 索子 (front lower right in ink); 索子 Soc-tzen (reverse lower right in pencil)

Further inscriptions: W. Ch. (front lower left in ink)

Flowering branch of a rangoon creeper/ Chinese honeysuckle plant, showing two smaller, leafy twigs stemming laterally at the base of the main branch. Leaves opposite, elliptic with pinnate veins, ondulate margins, slightly curling inward. At the top of the main twig: racemose inflorescence with elongated, light green, tubular calyxes, one open stellate red flower, depicted front facing, and two oblong reddish-orange buds. On the right of the inflorescence one open white flower, with oblong petals with pale pink marks, two close pink-white buds. In the middle of the inflorescence shorter calyxes with small green buds. Lower left: dissected view of the flower, showing long yellow calyx, five stamens laterally on each site of the upper end of the calyx, one green erect style with round green stigma, and five red oblong petals. Lower right: depiction of a smaller, nodose leafy twig bearing a terminal panicle with fruits. Fruits are ellipsoid and thin, with longitudinal ridges and reddish-brown end. On the left of the twig: dissected view of a fruit showing five pronounced wings and internal white flesh, and yellow seed, the seed is oblong, depicted separately on the right of the dissected fruit.