CSIR-NEERI Biodiversity Portal

NEERI Biodiversity Portal

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NBP was inaugurated by Dr. M.S. Ladania, Director, NRCC Nagpur on 8 April 2015

White Lady

Thunbergia fragrans Roxb.

Botanical name	: Thunbergia fragrans Roxb.
Common Name	: Common Forest Thunbergia / White lady
Family	: Acanthaceae
Synonym	: Thunbergia volubilis Pers.
About	: T. fragrans is an herbaceous vine, twining, 2-3 m in length. Stems cylindrical, striate, slender. Leaves 6.5-11 x 1.8-6 cm, triangular-ovate that can have entire to finely toothed margins, soft green color and occur oppositely on the stems. Upper surface dark green, glabrous or somewhat scabrous lower surface pale green, dull. Apex acute, the base truncate or subcordiform .Flowers axillary, solitary or in pair, 1/4 inches long, Calyx green, of 15-20 sepals, lanceolate, 3-5 mm long; corolla white, infundibuliform, with 5 lobes, the tube 2.5-4 cm long, narrow at the base, yellow inside lovely, fragrant blooms will occur in the summer. Capsules 1-2.5 cm long, depressed-globose at the base, the upper half in the form of a beak, dehiscent in two halves; seeds 4, approximately 5 mm in diameter. It is distributed throughout India, Central Nepal and Sri-Lanka. It is cultivated as a garden plant.