Edible : Food coloring, Leaves - flavoring, Medicinal, Caution.
A shrub. It has a sweet smell. It grows 3-7 m tall. The bark is greyish-brown. The small branches have spines near their tip. The leaves are simple and opposite. The leaves vary and can be oval and 8-44 mm long by 2-20 mm wide. The flower panicles are 3-22 cm long. They are near the ends of branches. The flowers are white or red and have a scent. The fruit is a small round capsule. It is brown and splits into 4 sections. The seeds are angular and 3 mm across
It is a tropical plant. It grows in the Sahel area in West Africa. It can grow in arid places. It tends to grow near water courses in semi-arid regions. At MARDI.
Other Names : Alcana, Alfeneiro, Camphire, Cilaan, Dan, Heenaa, Kuku pacar, Mendhi, Perdu mendi, Henna, Tree mignonette,
Synonyms :
Lawsonia alba Lam.;
Lawsonia spinosa Linn.;