Telosma cordata

Telosma cordata is a species of flowering plant, native to China and Indo-China, in the family Apocynaceae (tribe Marsdenieae). It is cultivated elsewhere and may occur wild as an introduced species. Common names include Chinese violet, cowslip creeper, Pakalana vine, Tonkin jasmine and Tonkinese creeper. The plant bears clusters of golden yellow blooms along the vining stems during summer months. Individual blooms emerge successively over a period of weeks emitting a rich, heavy fragrance during the day and night. In Tamil it goes by the name கொடிச்சம்பங்கி('kodi sambangi') and in Vietnamese: thiên lý. T. cordata is classified as a creeper that can climb as far as 2–5 meters. The vine is small, round and very tough; it is considered poisonous for pigs. As the tree is older, the vine will change from green to brown. The top is covered with dense white bush that can cover other trees completely. The plant can be reproduced by cutting or seeding and grows in airy soil in bright sunlight. It can be found in evergreen, mixed deciduous forests, grove woods and dry forests all over Indo-China. T. cordata has single heart-shaped leaves growing in pairs. The leaf is about 4-7.5 cm wide and about 6–11 cm long with smooth underside. Thickness of the leaf is very small, veins can be clearly seen. The stem is about 1.2–2 cm long.