This plant originates from Papua New Guinea and Polynesia, and was then introduced to Indo-China, the Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, and Indonesia. It is commonly cultivated as a hedge plant, an ornamental plant, and a medicinal plant. Its leaves can be used as a soap substitute.

On Java island, it grows from the lowlands up to the mountains at an altitude of 1,250 m a.s.l.. It prefers full sunlight, moist, well-drained soil, and soil rich in organic matter. This plant cannot tolerate drought and arid conditions.

• The root is a taproot and is light brown.

• The stem is woody, segmented (noded), with a smooth surface and a greenish-purple color.

• The leaves are simple, short-stalked (petiolate), round in shape, with pinnate venation, a shiny upper surface, and entire margins.

• The flowers are compound (inflorescence), emerge at the stem tips, in a raceme (tandan) arrangement, are purplish in color, and are 3–12 cm long.

• The fruit is an oblong capsule, brownish-purple.

• The seeds are round, white, and thick-skinned.

• Propagation is done both vegetatively (by stem cuttings) and generatively (by seed).

• It treats hemorrhoids (wasir or ambeien), gallstones, boils, alleviates constipation (difficulty in bowel movements), promotes urination, treats rheumatism, and is a remedy for irregular menstruation.

• Flavonoids (4,5,7-trihydroxy flavonol, 4,4-dihydroxyflavone 3,4,7-trihydroxy flavon-trihydroxy flavone, and luteolin 7-glucoside), non-toxic alkaloids, saponins, gallotannins, anthocyanins, and phenolic acids.