Hydrocera triflora (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Hydrocera triflora (L.) Wight & Arn.
- Family: Balsaminaceae
Synonyms
- Hydrocera angustifolia Blume.
Vernacular names
- Water balsam, marsh henna (En)
- Indonesia: pacar air, pacar cina
- Malaysia: inai paya, tempinah, temegun
- Thailand: kaeo nam (Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri), thian naa, thian nam (central)
- Vietnam: bông lông dèn.
Distribution
Southern India, Sri Lanka, southern China, Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia (Java, south-western Sulawesi).
Uses
The flowers are used to prepare a red dye for fingernails as a substitute for henna (Lawsonia inermis L.)
Observations
A semi-aquatic glabrous perennial herb, up to 1 m tall, with pink or purplish flowers. This species is sometimes confused with Impatiens balsamina L., which has the same use and which differs in the united petals and hairy fruit. Water balsam is found in ditches, pools, rice fields and marshy places, usually in the lowland, and is locally common.
Selected sources
6, 7, 12, 16, 42.