Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T.Aiton

 

Family: Asclipidiaceae

Synonym: Asclepias gigantea L., Madorius giganteus (L.) Kuntze 

Vernacular name: Dinesam, Erikku, Vella-erikku, Yerikku

 Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Wastelands

Distribution: Tropical Asia

Flowering and fruiting:  Throughout the year

Key identification features: This shrub, growing up to 4 meters tall, has rounded stems and simple, opposite leaves that are elliptic-ovate to obovate, with a cordate base. The plant features many pale purple, white, or greenish-white flowers in lateral or axillary cymes. The calyx has five broadly ovate lobes, and the corolla is campanulate with short tubes and recurved lobes. The fruit is saccate, ovoid, and up to 6 cm long, containing many brown, broadly ovate seeds with a dull-white coma.

 Uses: It is a medicinal plant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe

 

Family – Zingiberaceae

Synonym – Curcuma porphyrotaenia Zipp. ex K.Schum.; Curcuma raktakanta Mangaly & M.Sabu; Curcuma speciosa Link.; Zingiber truncatum Stokes 

Habit – Herb

Habitat – In coconut grooves and canal embankments

Distribution – South India (Kerala) (Endemic)

Flowering and Fruiting – April-May

Key Identification Features – The rhizome of this medium-sized plant is conical, greyish to yellow inside, with finger-shaped, branched tubers. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, green, and puberulent below. The inflorescence features deep pink coma bracts and light pink flowers. The labellum is light yellow with a dark yellow band.

Uses – It’s used in food (especially in Indonesian and Indian cuisines), traditional medicine (for inflammation, pain, and skin ailments), and as an essential oil in perfumery.

Xyris indica L.

 

Family – Xyridaceae

Synonym – Ramotha vera Raf.; Xyris calocephala Miq.; Xyris capito Hance 

Habit – Herb

Habitat – Marshy areas

Distribution – Indo-Malesia

Flowering and Fruiting – August-November

Key Identification Features –This perennial herb has basal linear leaves, a terete scape, and subglobose brown flower heads. The yellow flowers are bisexual, and the plant has three stamens with hairy staminodes. The ovary is obovoid with a trifid style and capitate stigmas.

Uses – It to wetland ecosystems by supporting biodiversity and maintaining water quality.

 

Cayratia pedata (Lam.) Juss. ex Gagnep.

 

Family – Vitaceae

Synonym – Cayratia longzhouensis W.T.Wang; Cayratia pedata var. glabra Gamble; Cissus canarensis (Dalzell) Planch.; Cissus pedata Lam. 

Vernacular names – Corivalli; Odiyankurunnu; Tripadi

Habit – Climber

Habitat – Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also in sacred groves in the plains

Distribution – Indo-Malesia

Flowering and Fruiting –  June-July

Key Identification Features – It’s a climbing shrub with hispid stems, ovate serrate leaves, and greenish flowers. The berries are subglobose, rusty tomentose, and contain ellipsoid seeds.

Uses – It has medicinal uses, including treating coughs, bronchitis, and joint pain. The leaves are astringents and have anti-arthritis activity.

Cissus latifolia Lam.

 

Family – Vitaceae

Synonym – Cissus gigantea Bedd.; Cissus wightii Planch.; Vitis gigantea (Bedd.) Bedd. 

Vernacular names – Chunnambuvalli; Narantha

Habit – Climber

Habitat – Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also in the plains

Distribution – Peninsular India and Sri Lanka

Flowering and Fruiting – June-September

Key Identification Features – This large, climbing shrub has thick stems and glaucous branchlets. Its leaves are simple, alternate, and broadly ovate-cordate or orbicular, with serrated margins and bristly tips. The flowers appear in leaf-opposed cymes, with cupular calyx fringed on the margins. The greenish-white petals are hooded at the apex, and there are four stamens. The yellow disk is 4-lobed and adnate to the ovary. The ovoid, purplish berry contains a single seed.

Uses – It has been used in traditional medicine for conditions like weak bones, fractures, and asthma. It also serves as food for certain insect larvae.

Rotheca serrata (L.) Steane & Mabb.

 

Family – Verbenaceae

Synonym – Clerodendrum serratum var. amplexifolium Moldenke; Clerodendrum serratum var. glabrescens Moldenke; Clerodendrum serratum var. herbaceum (Roxb. ex Schauer) C.Y.Wu in; Clerodendrum serratum var. javanicum Hochr. 

Vernacular names – Cheruthekku; Kankabharnni; Kantani; Kattuppadappa; Kurukkutti; Napalu; Perikilam

Habit – Shrub

Habitat – Moist deciduous forests, also in the plains

Distribution – India, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka

Flowering and Fruiting – August-December

Key Identification Features – This shrub grows up to 2m tall, with purplish stems and branches. Its leaves are broadly elliptic-ovate or obovate, serrated along the margins, and covered in fine hairs on the lower surface. The bluish flowers have unequal lobes, and the fruit is dark-purple and 4-lobed. Each fruit contains 2-4 globose seeds.

Duranta erecta L.

 

Family – Verbenaceae

Synonym – Duranta erecta var. alba (Mast.) Caro; Duranta erecta var. grandiflora (Moldenke) Caro; Duranta inermis L.; Duranta integrifolia Tod. 

Vernacular names – Duranta

Habit – Shrub

Habitat – Grown as garden plant, also getting naturalised

Distribution – Originally from Tropical America; now widespread throughout the world

Flowering and Fruiting – July-March

Key Identification Features – This shrub has spiny branches and simple, opposite leaves. The leaves are elliptic-ovate or obovate. Sometimes, the leaves are variegated with yellow. The flowers occur in simple or panicled racemes, both terminal and axillary. The corolla can be blue or violet, with or without two purplish stripes on the tube. The stamens are didynamous, and the ovary is globular with eight locules and eight ovules. The drupes are yellow or orange-yellow, globose, and completely enclosed by the fruiting calyx.

Uses – It is a garden plant