வேம்பாடம் பட்டை Vembadam Pattai

Description

Despite its name, there is nothing visibly red about the Red Creeper. It is widely used to make a medicinal oil to apply to babies until around 3 years age. When The root of this plant is just immersed in coconut oil, it gives away red color. Hence the name. Red Creeper is a climbing shrub, found in Indo-Malaysian region. Leaves are variable – they can be circular to egg-shaped with an acute tip. Margins can be entire or serrated, and the surface can be smooth or finely velvety. Small greenish-yellow flower are fascicled on leafless branches, with an offensive smell. Fruit is 5-6 cm, densely velvety, a pea-sized part and an oblong wing, 0.9-1.1 cm wide, surrounded by sepal tube at base. Some fishermen used the long climbing stems as ropes. It flowers in winters.