Fire Flame Bush

Description:

‘Fire Flame Bush’ is a spreading, leafy shrub, small in size but very conspicuous on dry, rocky hillsides from December to May, when the masses of little fiery bells give a bright touch of colour to the drab terrain. It is a deciduous shrub, usually with a much-fluted stem. The grey bark is exceedingly thin and peels off in flakes. When in flower the bush appears twiggy and formless but entirely swathed in red. This is because the small flowers grow singly or in groups all the way along the branches and side twigs, and it is at this time that the leaves fall. Each flower, borne on a tiny stem, is a slender tube, slightly curved, the greenish base of which is the sepal. Swelling slightly, the tube divides into narrow, pointed lobes and from within emerges a bunch of long stamens.

Habitat:

Dry, hillside. We can see an ant, its helping in pollination.

Notes:

The fruit is a small, oblong capsule, covered by the withered sepals. The narrow, pointed leaves grow straight from the branches, either opposite or in whorls of three. They are harsh and dull, dark green in colour, but paler underneath. Sometimes they are dotted beneath with small, black glands. From the flowers, which contain much tannin, a red dye is obtained which is used to dye silks. The leaves also contain a large proportion of tannin and make the commonest tan in India. This shrub is also known as ‘Red Bell Bush’.