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Actephila excelsa
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Family:
EUPHORBIACEAE
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Citation: Actephila excelsa (Dalz.) Muell.-Arg., Linnaea 32: 78. 1863; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1283(898). 1925; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 355. 1984; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 405. 1994; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 591. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 435. 2005; N.P.Balakr. & Chakrab., Fam. Euphorbiaceae India 397. 2007.
Anomospermum excelsum Dalz. in Hook.'s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 3: 228. 1851.
Actephila neilgherrensis Wight, Ic. t. 1910. 1852.
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Malayalam Name(s):
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
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Description:
Large shrubs to small trees; young stem, bracts and calyx lobes hispid without. Leaves simple, opposite, 7-20 x 2-5 cm, lanceolate to oblanceolate, acute at apex, attenuate at base; petioles 0.5-1 cm long. Flowers in axillary clusters; male many, short-pedicelled; female 1-2, long-pedicelled. Male flowers: pedicels 0.3-0.4 cm long; calyx lobes 5, hairy without; petals 5, smaller than calyx, white; disc lobed; stamens 3-6, attached on the disc, filaments united to form a gonophore; pistillode within gonophore. Female flowers: pedicel 1-1.3 cm long; ovary ovoid, 0.4-0.5 cm long, 0.3-0.4 cm diam, 3-celled; ovules 2 in each cell; styles 3, each again 2-fid to form 6-stigmatic lobes, lobes papillate. Capsule depressed globose, 2-2.5 cm across, 6-lobed.
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Habit:
Tree
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Flowering & Fruiting:
April-May
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District(s):
Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikkode, Wayanad, Kannur
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests
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Distribution:
Peninsular India and Sri Lanka
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Yellow, Creamy, White
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
No
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
800-1200
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Localities:
Sholayar, Chimmini, Ezhimala, Lower Moozhiar, Athirumala, Chemungi
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