Mussaenda erythrophylla Schumach. & Thonn.

Nusa indah merah (Mussaenda erythrophylla) is a shrub 1.5-3 meters tall, even up to 8 meters in the wild, from the Rubiaceae family that originates from tropical Africa. Its blazing red, long-lasting inflorescence makes it a popular ornamental throughout the tropical world. Nusa indah merah is traditionally used in Africa and Asia to address worms and dysentery.

Nusa indah merah is generally found growing in old cocoa plantations with remnants of native forest, secondary thickets along streams, forest edges, riverbanks, shrubby savannas and in thickets along roadsides. In Fiji, this plant is cultivated on sandy soil near sea level. This plant prefers warm, humid habitats, but also adapts to semi-deciduous and dry locations. Grows best in areas with full sun and porous soil with a soil acidity (pH) in the range of 7-8.5. This plant also requires quite a lot of water so it prefers regular watering without the roots being submerged in water, and is not drought-tolerant.

• Roots branched taproot.
• Stem round, light brown surface, monopodial branching.
• Leaves single, oppositely crossed, green, oblong-ovate to almost heart-shaped (when young), leaf tip tapering, leaf base blunt to somewhat pointed, smooth leaf margin, many pilose (fine, soft hairs), prominent leaf veins, pinnate venation, rough surface.
• Flowers have a calyx modified into a broad petal-like blade, 5 lobes, one of the five calyx lobes develops rapidly and enlarges, ovate-lanceolate shaped, bright red above and somewhat paler below, pubescent, while the other lobes are narrowly linear-lanceolate and red or bright red. Corolla tubular, has 5 lobes, pubescent, whitish-cream white, pale yellow with a reddish ring in the center. Stamens numbering 5, filaments yellowish-white, anthers green. Inflorescence terminal, a panicle.
• Fruit a berry, ovate-shaped.
• Seeds small, numerous.

Propagation can be done generatively (seeds) and vegetatively (stem cuttings, layering or air layering).

Alkaloid, phytosterol, flavonoid, saponin, steroid, phenolic, triterpenoid, glycoside, tannin, β-sitosterol, 5-hydroxy-7,4′-dimethoxy flavones, 3-iso cumaryloxy-cyclopropane-1-oic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid, mussaendoside A-C, M and N with clyclolanostene and aureusidin type aglycones, iridoid glycoside.

Addresses coughs, jaundice, treats eye infections, worms, body aches, diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal inflammation, food poisoning, kidney inflammation, respiratory tract inflammation, tonsils, influenza, prevents breast cancer, bronchitis, has antirheumatic, diuretic, and hepatoprotective activity.

• Prepare nusa indah merah flower leaves, wash clean with running water.
• Dry under sunlight or with an oven at 40 °C until moisture content reaches 10%.
• Store in a clean, airtight place.

Mussaenda merah, Golang galing, Walik adep, Kalik adep, Bunga darah Ashanti.