Flowers, chastity and womanly charms!

By Dennis Badi

THE earth’s natural wonders have won over mankind for centuries with their secretive elegance, along with their peculiar and attractive floras they have graced the limelight of tropical feminine beauty.

Virgin flower                    Photo by D. Badi

Papua New Guinea is truly a land of mystery where there are flowers for all seasons and occasions. But finding a good enough standard to flowerage purity in feminine terms, whilst being surrounded by all those gorgeous tropical flowers is a throw-down-the-gauntlet. What is more, there’s a small tree species out there, of the Rubiaceae family fame that can fill the vacuity and be that benchmark.

Standard to flowerage purity                             Photo by D. Badi

The Mussaenda philippica is that much-loved flowering shrub, cherished by people the world-over for its glorious snowy sepals and star quality petals or corolla. Corrupted by its Latin lingo, this small tree or flowering shrub as some people call it, is much more than an exotic on our land.

Native to Philippines, the Mussaenda philippica is also named ‘Aurorae’ after Madam Dona Aurora, wife of a former President of the Philippines. The shrub notably its white variety, is observed in honour of Madam Dona’s womanly charm, which embraces her selfless devotion and service to her country.  

Though this tropical shrub may be less studied and esteemed in our country, apart from its scientific status in the academia, perchance this article is long-awaited and judicious. The Mussaenda philippica ‘Aurorae’ is widely known by many names such as the White Mussaenda and Tropical Dogwood. But the writer is fonder of the Virgin Tree label because it’s among the most charming examples of tropical flowering shrubs that can personify chastity and virtue.

The Virgin Tree can grow up to seven metres or even higher in some parts of our beautiful nation. As an exotic plant its growth ought to be controlled or it can become invasive to the local environment. Preferably it must be pruned and managed well.

The flower of the Virgin Tree comprises a five-petalled corolla in an orangey colour, and white puffed-up sepals, which is the most charming part of this shrub, which looks gorgeous in contrast to its green elongated leaves. In the distance it can look superb and heavenly especially beside a grey or green backdrop.

This beautiful shrub is widely cultivated at the campus gardens of the National Research Institute, which is situated on the corner of the University of PNG and Nature Park in Port Moresby. It is a common spectacle for any visitor to the institute, especially when driving or walking up and down the main-street, and foot-path between the Admin and the Researchers’ block.

The alluring clout of the Virgin Tree has never given up on this writer, unusually during its peaking stage when it blooms continuously over couple of days. For those serious-minded naturalists, the plant during this period can provide that sufficient pleasure every morning, after an aura of tumbling mist or maybe a light drizzle at dawn. The interface allows any floral enthusiasts to enter a delectation mode, surrounding their minds with peace, love and contentment of their environment.  

Surrounding their minds with peace                      Photo by D. Badi

Virgin Trees can grace roadsides near cathedrals, beautify our streets, farmed as a peacemaker sign on tribal boundaries, and notably add significance to our bridal ceremonies. If reasonably pruned, and coated with a decent climatic condition such as a full sun with well drain soil, this shrub is sure to become the talisman of many homes. Apart from being a good landscaping shrub, the plant can attract bees, butterflies and birds.

There are tropical perennials, water lilies, frangipanis and orchids that have graced the literature on feminine beauty of the countries surrounding the Equator. Then again there is a special bonding by some floral enthusiasts claiming that the Virgin Tree can heighten friendships by honouring their dearest, and protruding to any occasion. This shrub is able to symbolize sinless, wholesome and pure beauty of the feminine class, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity or disability background.

The Virgin Tree or the White Mussaenda has a tainted variety that share the same species lingo. It is also cultivated at the NRI campus and in many parts of the country. The sepals appear pink or rosy and sometimes referred to as the Pink Mussaenda, others as Pink Panther. With its elongated sepal and teeny petals, both the white and pink varieties of Mussaenda philippica can bloom for extended periods throughout the year.

Pink Mussaenda                                   Photo by D.Badi

The cousin variety of Mussaenda philippica is found in our country also. It’s identified as Mussaenda erythrophylla or commonly known as the Red Flag bush. This particular shrub looks quite similar with M. philippica in structure and form, but has a plasma red sepal and much bigger petals. According to botanists M. erythrophylla a native to West Africa, and Mussaenda philippica ‘Aurorae’ are the genetic parents of the horticultural hybrid, the Pink Mussaenda.  

Red Flag bush Photo by D. Badi

The species of all Mussaendas in the world are members of the Rubiaceae or coffee family. They are native to the Old World tropics of West Africa, the Indian sub-continent, Southeast Asia and into southern China. There are more than 200 known species of which about 10 are found in cultivation. Of these only three are properly nurtured and one being the Mussaenda philippica, or the Pink Panther and the Virgin Tree which are widely used for landscaping.

The Virgin Tree tag could be tangled up with other brands such as the trade name of Virgin Airlines. It’s an overseas airline company with a prominent red brand, illustrating today’s worldview about beauty is all about eye-catching and money, which is a little more tainted, either with specs of red or other shades of colours.  

It’s nothing relatively as white, snowy or pure form like the gorgeous white sepals of the Virgin Tree. Or perhaps the world is now symbolizing chastity and virtue with degraded standards, and that mankind is moving far from the principles of humanity.