Coffea arabica L.

 

Family: Rubiaceae

Synonym:  Coffea bourbonica Pharm. ex Wehmer, Coffea corymbulosa Bertol., Coffea laurifolia Salisb. 

Vernacular name - Bannu, Coffee, Kaappi

 Habit:  Shrub

Habitat: Cultivated

Distribution: Native of Africa; introduced elsewhere

Key identification features: These glabrous shrubs or small trees have simple, opposite leaves that are 12-18 cm long and oblong. The fragrant, white, funnel-shaped flowers are numerous and borne in axillary fascicles. The fruit is a small, fleshy berry that turns dark purple when ripe.

 Uses: It is a medicinal plant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piper divaricatum G.Mey.

 

Family: Piperaceae

Synonym:  Piper colubrinum var. adenophyllum (Miq.) C.DC., Piper crassifolium (Miq.) C.DC., Piper densespicatum Steud., Piper glabrilimbum C.DC, Piper impunctatum Link 

 Habit: Shrub

Habitat: Grown as stock plant for grafting black pepper

Distribution: Native of South America, introduced elsewhere

Key identification features: This plant is an erect, much-branched shrub growing up to 2.5 m tall with smooth, reddish-tinged stems and swollen nodes. The leaves are simple, alternate, and elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, measuring. They have an obtuse base, acute apex, and 4-7 pairs of lateral nerves. The petioles are reddish. The plant features glandular prophylls, erect spikes opposite the leaves, and small triangular bracts. The fruit is obovoid, trigonous, and glabrous with three stigmas.

 Uses: It is a medicinal plant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zingiber neesanum (J.Graham) Ramamoorthy

 

Family: Zingiberaceae

Synonym:  Alpinia neesana J.Graham, Zingiber macrostachyum Dalzell 

Vernacular name: Kattukolinchi

 Habit: Herb

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

Distribution: Western Ghats (Endemic)

Key identification features: These herbs, either annual or perennial, have leafy stems that grow 40-70 cm tall, either solitary or in small groups. The leaves are elliptic-oblong. The spikes, enlarge in fruit. Each reddish floral bract, contains a solitary flower. The calyx and corolla tube, with the larger corolla lobe. The labellum is, 3-lobed, and the ovary is glabrous. The capsule is ellipsoid, smooth, and red inside.

 Uses: It is a medicinal plant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piper betle L.

 

Family: Piperaceae

Synonym: Chavica betle (L.) Miq., Piperi betlum (L.) St.-Lag. 

Vernacular name: Kodinjali, Vettila, Vettilakkodi

 Habit: Climber

Habitat: Cultivated

Distribution: India and Malesia

Key identification features: This climber has stems that are swollen at the nodes and papillose when young. Its bright green, shiny leaves are ovate and smooth, with slightly revolute margins and arcuate veins. The petiole is glabrous. The spike, becomes unevenly nodose in fruit. Flowers are crowded and dioecious, with 2 stamens and 5-6 stylules. Berries are rarely produced, forming a fleshy spadix.

 Uses: It is a medicinal plant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.