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Desmodium motorium
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Family:
FABACEAE/LEGUMINOSAE (Subfam.: Papilionoideae)
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Citation: Desmodium motorium (Houtt.) Merr., J. Arnold Arbor. 19: 345. 1938; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 85. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 148. 1984; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 78. 1988; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 139. 1988; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 158. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 158. 1992; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 148. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 103. 1995; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 140. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Shenduruny WLS 94. 1997; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 195. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 100. 1998; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 207. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 175. 2005; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 285. 2009.
Hedysarum motorium Houtt., Nat. Hist. (ed. 2) 10: 246. 1779.
Desmodium gyrans (L. f.) DC., Prodr. 2: 326. 1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 174. 1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 348(245). 1918.
Hedysarum gyrans L. f., Suppl. Pl. 332. 1781.
Codariocalyx motorium (Houtt.) Ohashi, J. Jap. Bot. 40: 367. 1965.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Nagathakara, Ramanamapacha, Thozhukanni
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
Indian telegraphic plant
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Description:
Shrubs to 1.5 m tall. Terminal leaflets 7 x 2.5 cm, elliptic-oblong, obtuse at either ends, glabrous above, tomentose below; nerves to 8 pairs, regular; lateral leaflets to 1.5 x 0.3 cm, oblong, folding. Raceme to 20 cm long, axillary and terminal; bracts ovate, acute. Flowers 10 mm across, shortly pedicelled, pink; standard 12 x12 mm, orbicular; wings curved; keel glabrous. Pods 4 x 0.6 cm, oblong, slightly curved, 6-8 jointed, minutely pubescent.
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Habit:
Shrub
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Flowering & Fruiting:
October-January
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District(s):
Idukki, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Palakkad, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikkode, Thrissur, Wayanad
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Moist deciduous forests
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Distribution:
India to Malesia and Australia
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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):
Pink
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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:
400-700
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Localities:
Peechi, Kattalappara, Kulathupuzha, Thannikkudy, Pisiadamala, Pathenthode, Chittar, Baveli, Tolpetty, Kallar, Pooyamkutty, Nadugani ghats, Ettapadappu, Kulathupuzha, Karamanayar region
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