|
Helicanthes elastica
|
|
|
|
Family:
LORANTHACEAE
|
|
Citation: Helicanthes elastica (Desr.) Danser, Verh. Akad. Wet. afd. Natuurk. Sect. 2. 29: 55. 1933; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 253. 1982; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 327. 1985; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 239. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 349. 1989; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 350. 1984; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 410. 1990; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 318. 1995; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 385. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 356. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 274. 2002; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 580. 2002; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 612. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 708. 2009.
Loranthus elasticus Desr. in Lam., Encycl. 3: 599. 1792; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 216. 1886; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1254(877). 1925.
Dendrophthoe elasticus (Desr.) Danser, Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. ser. 3, 10: 308. 1929; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 428. 2005.
|
|
Malayalam Name(s):
MavuIththill
|
|
Tamil name(s):
|
|
English name(s):
|
|
Description:
Semi-parasitic dichotomously branched subshrubs; branchlets woody, swollen at nodes, glabrous. Leaves opposite, 4-8 x 1.5-4 cm, ovate or elliptic-oblong, base obtuse or truncate, apex acute or obtuse, thickly coriaceous, glaucous beneath, basally 3-nerved; sessile or subsessile. Flowers aggregated in short axillary fascicles. Calyx minute, flask-shaped, margin truncate. Corolla white with green stripes, 2.5-3.5 cm long, split lengthwise into 5 linear, twisted lobes. Stamens 5, exserted, filaments crimson. Ovary ca. 1.5 mm long; style 3-3.5 cm long; stigma ovoid. Berry 6-8 x 3-3.5 mm, obovoid, red.
|
|
Habit:
Shrub
|
|
Flowering & Fruiting:
December-March
|
|
District(s):
All Districts
|
|
Medicinal:
Yes
|
|
Habitat:
Evergreen and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
|
|
Distribution:
Western Ghats
|
|
Aquatic:
No
|
|
Epiphyte(s):
No
|
|
Saprophyte:
No
|
|
Stem parasite:
Yes
|
|
Root parasite:
No
|
|
Flower colour(s):
Green, White
|
|
Weed:
No
|
|
Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
|
|
Exotic:
No
|
|
Garden:
No
|
|
Edible:
No
|
|
Vegetable:
No
|
|
Endemic to:
Western Ghats
|
|
IUCN status:
|
|
Altitude:
600-750
|
|
Localities:
Peechi, Kuriachira, Vallakkadavu, Thellickal, Panthenthode border, Kodumon, Kalliassey, Olavakkot, Mulleria, Mannarghat town, Thenmalai, Rockwood, Ezhupunna, Koviltherimala
|