Fragrant shrub, up to 2.5 m tall. Leaves elliptic, ovate or obovate, acute, obtuse or subacuminate, 8-44 mm long, 2-20 mm broad. Panicles 3-22 cm long. Pedicels 2-3.5 mm long. Sepals ovate. Petals 3-4 mm long, 4-5 mm broad. Filaments 4 mm long. Capsules (3-)4-8(-9) mm in diameter, wall veined.

Fl. Per.: Oct.-Nov.

Type: Described from India and Egypt. Herb. Linn. No. 496/1 (LINN).

Distribution: Africa and Asia.

Indigenous to Baluchistan and widely cultivated throughout the country for its fragrant flowers and orange-red dye obtained from macerated, triturated or powdered leaves. The dye is used for dyeing cloth and hair, for staining nails, palms and soles, and in medicine. Very variable.