Synonyms: 

Bixa acuminata Boj.

Bixa katangensis Delpierre

Systematic Position

Kingdom:  Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Order: Malvales Juss.

Family: Bixaceae

Native:  Central America

Common Names

English – Lipstick tree

Malayalam – കുരങ്ങുമഞ്ഞൾ, കുങ്കുമപ്പൂമരം

Tamil –

Description:
This plant is a shrub or bushy tree which ranges from 3 to 10m in height.  Its glossy, ovate leaves are evergreen with reddish veins.  Leaves are round with heart-shaped base and a pointed tip. The leaves are between 8 and 20cm long and 5 and 14cm wide. The twigs are covered with rusty colored scales when young.  Flowers are pink, white, or may be a combination of both colors, and are 4 to 6cm in diameter.  Fruits are bi-valved, covered either with dense soft bristles or hairs and are red in color. When ripe, they split open and reveal a numerous amount of small, fleshy seeds, about 5 mm in diameter and covered with red-orange pulp. 

Habitat:  Grown as ornamental plant.

Distribution: Tropical America and is now found (wild or cultivated)

Uses: These arils of the seeds are commonly used as a natural dye for food coloring, adding a distinct flavor to dishes in Latin American and Caribbean cuisines.

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