Description
Perennial but short-lived herb, up to 1 m.
Inflorescences lax, few-flowered dichasia.
Flowers with up to 12 cm long pedicel.
Petals deep red, rarely white;
Capsule ellipsoid, acute, as long as calyx.
Seeds reniform, black, finely tuberculate, slightly more than 1 mm diameter.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa cultivated), From eastern Europe to western Asia present
From eastern Europe to western Asia, further with isolated occurrences in Kashmir. Widely cultivated. In Malesia grown as an ornamental in Java.
Citation
Edgew. & Hook. f. 1874 – In: Fl. Brit. India: 222
Lu Dequan, M. Lidén & B. Oxelman 2001 – In: Fl. China: 100
N.C. Majumdar 1993: p. 542. – In: Fl. India: f. 111
Tang Changlin 1996: p. 270. – In: Fl. Reip. Pop. Sin.: f. 65: 1-5
