Gen info
There are about 500 species in the genus Ixora. A few are in cultivation. There are numerous cultivars differing in flower color (yellow, pink, orange) and plant size. Several cultivars are dwarfs, under 3 feet. Other noteworthy ornamental santans: santan puti (Ixora finlaysoniana Wall), a shrub 2-4 m high, with white fragrant flowers; and Philippine santan (Ixora philippinensis Merr), a shrub or small tree, with white to pink flowers.

Botany
Santan-tsina is an erect, smooth shrub 1.5 to3 meters in height. Leaves are opposite, sessile, oblong-obovate to elliptic-oblong, 7 to 13 centimeters in length, pointed at both ends, and borne on short petioles. Flowers are many, crowded in dense, corymbose clusters, 6 to 12 centimeters in diameter, light orange- red, red, yellow or white.Calyx-teeth are short and obtuse. Corolla is pink or reddish, 2 to 2.5 centimeters long, with rounded lobes 5 to 7 millimeters in length.

Distribution
- Cultivated for ornamental purposes; nowhere established.
- Introduced to the Philippines at an early date.
- Occurs in India to southern China and is widely distributed in Malaya and other tropical countries.

Constituents
- Roots yield an iridoid derivative called ixoside (1,8-dehydroxyforsythide).

Parts used
Flowers, roots, leaves.

Uses
Folkloric
- In the Philippines, infusion of fresh flowers, drunk ad libitum, is said to be good for incipient tuberculosis and for hemorrhage.
- Malays use decoction of root after childbirth.
- In Indonesia, decoction of roots used for bronchial disorders; flower decoction used for amenorrhea and hypertension.
- Decoction used for urinary problems.
- In Vietnam, roots, stems, leaves, and flowers are used for irregular menses, high blood pressure, tuberculosis, hemoptysis, rheumatism, and acne.

Studies
• Quisumbing's compilation and some others lists Ixora chinensis and I. coccinea as separate species while some compilations list them as synonyms. Click Santan for I. coccinea studies.

Medicine: In a modified tumour promotion test, complete inhibition of all kinds of tumours was exhibited by decoctions of flowers of I. coccinea and I. chinensis.

Availability
Wild-crafted.