Rangoon Creeper

I pass it frequently, as it grows in my neighborhood, sprawled over a residential wall. Bewitched, I take in the tri-colored flowers — white, pink, and crimson. The scent, especially at dusk, is heady (a common name for it is Drunken Sailor). I often find myself stopping at the wall, sniffing at the flowers.

This is the Rangoon Creeper, with the scientific name Quisqualis indica. The Latin words quis and qualis mean "who" and "what," respectively, reflecting the bewilderment of the botanist who "discovered" it. What art thou? The plant seemed to defy classification.

It starts life as a tiny creeper, then becomes bush-like, and finally shows its true colors as a liana vine that creeps upward toward the sun, clinging to any support it finds. The buds and flowers are initially white, turning into a light blushing pink before maturing into deep crimson. All three colors are sometimes seen on the same plant, which makes for a spectacular display, as can be seen in my photo.

Shot with love and respect in an alley off Shenoys Junction, Ernakulam.

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