Chinese Violet, East Coast Creeper, Cowslip, Fragrant Telosma, Night Fragrant Flower

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 7 min read

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বাংলা রোগী নোট এখনো যোগ করা হয়নি। পোস্ট এডিটরে “RX Bangla Patient Mode” বক্স থেকে সহজ বাংলা সারাংশ যোগ করুন।

এই তথ্য শিক্ষা ও সচেতনতার জন্য। এটি ডাক্তারি পরীক্ষা, রোগ নির্ণয় বা প্রেসক্রিপশনের বিকল্প নয়।

Article Summary

Telosma cordata is a flowering plant species inherent to India, Burma, Indochina and South China. It is cultivated elsewhere and occurs wild as an introduced species. Commonly it is also known as Chinese violet, Pakalana vine, cowslip creeper, Tonkin jasmine and Tonkinese creeper. The plant contains clusters of golden yellow which blooms during summer months along the vining stems. Individual blooms are found over a period of...

Key Takeaways

This article explains Facts of Chinese violet in simple medical language.
This article explains Chinese violet Scientific Classification in simple medical language.
This article explains Traditional uses in simple medical language.

Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.

Reviewed content workflowUse writer and reviewer profiles for stronger trust.

Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

Facts of Chinese violet

Name	Chinese violet
Scientific Name	Telosma cordata
Native	The plant is a native to India, Burma, Indochina and South China.
Common/English Name	Chinese Violet, East Coast Creeper, Cowslip, Fragrant Telosma, Night Fragrant Flower, Primrose Creeper, Pakalana Vine, Tonkin Creeper, Tonkin Telosma, Tonkin Jasmine, Tonkinese creeper, Chinese violet, Cowslip Creeper
Name in Other Languages	Chinese: Y e-Lai-Xiang, Ye-Xiang-Hua, Yeh-Lai-Hsiang, Yeh-Hsiang-Hua, Táiwān yèlái xiāng (台湾夜来香), Yè lán xiāng (夜兰香), Yèlái xiāng (夜来香), Yè xiānghuā (夜香花); French: Parfum Nocturne, Pergulaire; Hawaiian: Miulana Ke’oke’o, Pakalana; India:– Hindi: Surkilla, Tamil: Cambangikkodi, kodi sambangi (கொடிச்சம்பங்கி), Telugu: Alapaala, Konda Male-tige, Errumalle-tige, Seethamanoharamu; Uttar Pradesh: Kusiyari, Kanjalate, Seetamanoharam; Malaysia: Bunga Siam, Melati Tonkin, Bunga Tonkin; Spanish: Fragancia Nocturna; Thai: Salit; Vietnamese: Hoa Thiên Lý, Thiên Lý
Plant Growth Habit	Small, perennial, climber
Plant Size	10 meters long
Stem	Much-branched, yellowish green
Leaves	Heart-shaped, 4-7.5 cm wide, 6-11 cm long
Flowering Season	Mid-Summer
Flower	Greenish to yellow
Fruit shape & size	Round with pointy ends
Fruit color	Green
Seed	Pale-brown, flat, 5-8 mm
Fruit Season	October to December

Chinese violet Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Telosma cordata

Rank	Scientific Name & (Common Name)
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom	Viridiplantae
Infrakingdom	Streptophyta (Land plants)
Superdivision	Embryophyta
Division	Tracheophyta (Vascular plants, tracheophytes)
Class	Magnoliopsida
Subclass	Asteridae
Order	Gentianales
Family	Apocynaceae (Dogbane, apocyns)
Genus	Telosma Coville
Species	Telosma cordata (Burm. f.) Merr.
Synonyms	Asclepias cordata Burm.f. Asclepias cordata N.L.Burman Asclepias odoratissima (Lour.) Roxb. Asclepias pallida Roxb. Cynanchum odoratissimum Lour. Cynanchum odoratissimum Loureiro Oxystelma ovatum P.T. Li & S.Z. Huang Pergularia coromandeliana Decne. Pergularia glandulosa Blanco Pergularia limbata Wall. Pergularia limbata Wall. ex Wight Pergularia minor Andrews Pergularia montana Decne. Pergularia odoratissima (Lour.) Smith Pergularia odoratissima (Loureiro) Roxb. ex Smith Pergularia viridis Buch.-Ham. Pergularia viridis Buch.-Ham. ex Wight Telosma minor (Andrews) Craib Telosma minor (Andrews) W.G. Craib Telosma odoratissima (Lour.) Coville Telosma odoratissima (Loureiro) Coville

Plant

The plant is a small and perennial climber that grows to 10 meters long with yellowish green, much-branched stem which is pubescent when young that becomes pale grey and glabrescent. Leaves are found on 1.5 to 5 cm long petioles. Leaf lamina is ovate measuring 6 to 11 cm long having base deeply cordate with narrow sinus. Flowers are 15 to 30 flowered and fragrant especially at night. Bract is linear and caducous. Sepals are puberulent on the outside and oblong-lanceolate. It has greenish to yellow to pale yellow corolla. Tube measures 6 to 10 × 4 to 6 mm, with ciliate, oblong-linear lobes. Follicles are lanceolate, glabrous, measuring 6 to 12 × 2 to 3.5 cm and are obtusely 4-angled. Seeds are broadly ovate, flat, 1 × 1 cm and margin membranous bearing 3 to 4 cm long silky coma. It is reproduced by seedling or cutting.

Leaf

Leaves are heart-shaped which grows in pairs. Each leaf measures 4-7.5 cm wide and 6–11 cm long with underside smooth. The thickness of leaf is very small and veins could be seen clearly. The stem measures about 1.2 to 2 cm long.

Flower

Flowers are greenish to yellow having a strong fragrance especially in the evening. It has 1.5 cm diameter with 5 petals and 5 stamens which is affiliated to each other and to pistils. The flower blooms from March to May.

Fruit

The fruit is smooth, green and round having pointy ends. The inside part of the fruit contains large amount of flat seeds having white fluff which attached to the end.

Traditional uses

Medicinally oil and flowers are used for treating conjunctivitis.
It is used as an antidote to poison and also reduces fatigue.
It provides relief from backbone aches and also lowers hematuria.

Precautions

Avoid by allergic people.
Consult the health practitioner before treating health conditions.

How to Eat

Unopened flowers and young leaves are consumed as vegetables in China, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Kampuchea.
It is cooked in soups or is stir fried with eggs and meat.
In Java, tuberous roots are consumed as sweetmeat.
The oil are used for cooking purposes.
Flower buds are used stir-fried or boiled in broth in Vietnamese cuisine, Southern Chinese cuisine and Northern Thai cuisine.

References

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

Write when the problem started and how it changed.
Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
Basic physical examination by a clinician
CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

Rest, drink safe water, and observe symptoms carefully.
Keep a written note of symptoms, duration, temperature, medicines already taken, and allergy history.
Seek medical care quickly if symptoms are severe, worsening, or unusual for the patient.

OTC medicine safety

For mild pain or fever, ask a registered pharmacist or doctor before using common over-the-counter pain/fever medicines.
Do not combine multiple pain medicines without advice, especially if you have kidney disease, liver disease, stomach ulcer, asthma, pregnancy, or take blood thinners.
Do not give adult medicines to children unless a qualified clinician advises it.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

Severe symptoms, confusion, fainting, breathing difficulty, chest pain, severe dehydration, or sudden weakness need urgent medical care.

Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Doctor / qualified healthcare provider

Tests to discuss with doctor

Basic vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level if needed
Relevant blood, urine, imaging, or specialist tests only after clinical assessment

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
Which tests are really needed now?
Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Go to emergency care if you notice:

Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration

Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.

Step 1
Check danger signs first
If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.
Step 2
Record the symptom story
Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.
Step 3
Visit a qualified clinician
A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.
Step 4
Do only useful tests
Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.
Step 5
Follow up and return early if worse
If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips

Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.