Botany
· A glabrous, smooth branched shrub 1-2 m high.
· Leaves: opposite, elliptic-ovate, 2-6 cm long, narrowed and pointed at both ends, shining and short peticled. Stipulate.
· Flowers: large and very fragrant, occurring singly in the upper axil of the leaves. Calyx green, with funnel-shaped tube and about 1.5 cm long, 5-angled, or winged and divided into linear lobes about as long as the tube. Corolla usually double, white but soon turning yellowish and 5-8 cm wide. Stamens as many as the corolla lobes. Anthers linear, sessile. Ovary 1-celled, style stout, clavate, fusiform, or 2-cleft, ovules numerous on parietal placentae.
· Fruits: ovoid or ellipsoid, 2.5 to 4.5 cm long, 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter, yellow, with 5 to 9 longitudinal ridges. Maturing about the month of November.

Properties
Antiophthalmic, emollient, emetic, stimulant, diuretic, antiperiodic, cathartic, anthelmintic, alterative, antispasmodic, antiseptic, febrifuge.

Distribution
A common garden plant. Only the double-flowered form occurs in the Philippines.

Parts utilized
· Parts utilized: roots, leaves, fruits.
· Collect fruits during August to October.
· Roots: rinse, section into pieces, sun-dry.
· Fruits: sun-dry after stemming.

Folkloric uses
· Decoction of leaves and flowers used for dyspepsia, flatulences, nervous disorders and abdominal pains.
· Decoction of bark (50-55 g) used for fevers. dysentery and abdominal pains.
· Decoction of flowers used as wash for inflammed eyes.
· Poultice of leaves for swollen breasts; may be mixed with vioileta and other herbs.
· Jaundice, hepatitis
· Fruit is antiseptic; used for tootaches, foul sores.
· Cough, fever.
· Bacillary dysentery.
· Nephritic edema
· Epistaxis, painful outgrowth at the tongue
· Mastitis, furuncle
· Lymph node tuberculosis
· Dosage: use 30 to 60 gms dried roots, 60 to 120 gms dried fruits in decoction. Fruits may be pulverized and applied to regions with furuncle, sprains, lymph node tuberculosis with water or alcohol.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Common garden plant.
Cultivated for ornamental use.