Paederia foetida - Skunk Vine

Skunk Vine is a perennial twining vine arising from a woody rootstock. Stems grow up to 7 m or more, climbing, or prostrate and rooting at the nodes. Leaves are oppositely arranged, sometimes in whorls of 3, with prominent stipules. Leaf stalks are mostly up to 6 cm long. Leaves are oval to linear-lanceolate, 2-11 cm long, hairy or smooth, often lobed at base. Leaves and stems have a atinking smell, especially when crushed. Flowers are small, grayish pink or lilac, in broad or long, curving clusters at the end of branches or in leaf axils. Flowers are densely hairy, tubular with 5 spreading petals. Fruit is a shiny brown, nearly round capsule, up to 0.7 cm across, with 2 black, roundish seeds. Skunk Vine is found growing on hillsides, in forests, along forest edges, along streamsides, and twining on trees, in whole of NE India and West Bengal.