මුස්සැන්ද/වෙල්-බුත්සරණ[Mussenda, Wel-but-sarana] (Mussaenda frondosa)

Mussenda is a common indigenous shrub of about 2m tall, grows in secondary forests, roadsides and forests edges in both dry and wet zone from sea level to about 4000ft altitude. White leaves of this plant are edible and fried and eaten like ‘papadam’. All most all parts of this plant have medicinal values. Congee made from all the parts of the plant are used to treat hepatitis while roots used for white leprosy and flowers for asthma, fever and dropsy. Leaves and flowers are also used to remove inflammations and as a detergent for ulcers (Medicinal plants used in Ceylon Part 4 – Jayaweera).