File:Calotropis gigantea R.Br. - Flickr - lalithamba.jpg

Family: Asclepiadaceae Distribution: A common weed in waste places and as pure strands along the coast. Distibuted in India, Srilanka and Chaina, Malaysia. 1-2.5mts tall shrubs, stem branched, all fleshy parts of the plant secrete milky latex, Leaves leathery, with white waxy coating, in opposite decussate phyllotaxy, 4-11x3-6cm, base auricled, sessile, obovate acute, Flowers 2-3cm across, pale bluish- purple in terminal umbellate cymes. Calyx 5 lobed, corolla lobes 5, spreading, corona scales narrow, shorter than the staminal column, corona lobes fleshy adnate to and radiating from the large staminal column with an up curved involute spur. Stamens inserted at the base of the corolla, anthers short horny at the angled wings. Pollen masses solitary. Ovary of 2 distinct carpels, styles slender united above half way and stigma a depressed pentagonous flehy structure. 2 large inflated fleshy follicles from a single flower. Seeds comose.

Photographed at Nellore. The plant is toxic but in very small quantities the root bark, flowers, leaves, and latex are used as medicine in Ayurveda and tribal medicine.