The Water Simpur is widely distributed in Asia, Sri Lanka, the Malay Peninsula, Sarawak, Brunei, Sabah, East Kalimantan, and South Kalimantan. This plant is often used in religious rituals, as a food wrapper, and as an ornamental plant. Its young shoots and leaves can also be utilized as a vegetable, and its large leaves can be used for wrapping.

Water Simpur is commonly found in swamp areas, along rivers, and forest edges at altitudes up to 700 m a.s.l.. This plant often forms shrub thickets. It grows wild in various soil textures, ranging from sand to clay.

• Root: Taproot.

• Stem: Flat or slightly scaly, the stem color is reddish-brown to grayish-brown.

• Leaves: Simple, spirally arranged, oval shape, flat leaf surface, and serrated leaf margins.

• Flowers: Solitary, the petals are yellow, the flower diameter is 8–11 cm, and they emerge from the leaf axils.

• Fruit: Pink in color, star-shaped capsule.

• Seeds: Have bright red arils.

• Propagation is done generatively ( by seed).

• This plant can flower continuously, but each flower only blooms for one day.

• It treats inflammation, itching, stomach ache, mild fever (meriang), body aches and stiffness (pegal linu), aids in postpartum recovery, and promotes breast milk production (ASI).

• Tannins, polyphenols (resveratrol, quercetin), dichloromethane, steroid glycosides, asperosaponin VI, and triterpenoids (betulinic acid, koetjapic acid).