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Mucuna pruriens var. pruriens
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Family:
FABACEAE/LEGUMINOSAE (Subfam.: Papilionoideae)
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Citation: Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC., Prodr. 2: 405. 1825, var. pruriens; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 187. 1876; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 92. 1982; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 84. 1988; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 149. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 134. 1989; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 84. 1988; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 196. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 167. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 217. 1992; Sasidh. et al., Bot. Stud. Med. Pl. Kerala 17,23. 1996; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 147. 1996; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 216. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 97. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 186. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 233. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 298. 2009.
Dolichos pruriens L. in Stickman, Herb. Amboin. 23. 1754 & Syst. Nat. (ed. 10) 1162. 1759.
Stizolobium pruriens (L.) Medik., Vorels. Churpfalz. Phys.-Ocon. Ges. 2: 339. 1787; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 134. 1985.
Mucuna prurita Hook., Bot. Misc. 2: 348. 1831; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 356(251). 1918.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Chorivalli, Naikurana
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Tamil name(s):
Kapikachu
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English name(s):
Common cowitch, Cowhage, Velvet Bean
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Description:
Large climbers; branchlets densely clothed with rigid hairs. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 5-13x 2.5-8 cm, the terminal leaflets ovate-rhomboid or elliptic, the lateral ones broadly ovate, apex obtuse or acute, base rounded or truncate, adpressed pubescent; petiole to 10 cm long; stipules c. 4 mm long, linear; stipels setaceous. Flowers c. 3.5 cm long, in axillary tomentose, pendulous racemes; pedicels 2-4 mm long. Calyx-tube 4-7 mm long, pubescent, 4-lobed. Petals dark purplish; standard 2-2.5 x 1.5-2 cm, ovate. Anthers dimorphous, alternately dorsifixed and basifixed. Pods 5-7.5 x 1.2-1.5 cm, linear-oblong, somewhat s-shaped, turgid, densely covered with shining irritant bristly hairs; seeds 4-6, to 8 x 7 mm , ovoid, brown or black.
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Habit:
Climber
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Flowering & Fruiting:
October-February
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District(s):
Palakkad, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Kasaragode, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kannur, Kozhikkode, Thrissur, Wayanad
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
In secondary forests at low altitudes, also in the plains
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Distribution:
India, Myanmar 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):
Violet, Purple, 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:
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Localities:
Vellanimala, Ezhimala, Karimala, Chindaki forest, Pathenthode, Damsite, Upper Moozhiar, Lower Moozhiar, Manjeswar, Dhoni R. F., Thottappally
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