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Tinospora cordifolia
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Family:
MENISPERMACEAE
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Citation: Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 2, 7: 38. 1855; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 97. 1872; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 26(19). 1915; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 29. 1982; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 67. 1984; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 62. 1989; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 13. 1990; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 52. 1990; A. Pramanik in B. D. Sharma et al., Fl. India 1: 347. 1993; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 53. 1994; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar WLS 15. 1999; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 9. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 52. 2005; M. Mohanan in P. Daniel, Fl. Kerala 1: 193. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 83. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 108. 2009.
Menispermum cordifolium Willd., Sp. Pl. 4: 826. 1806.
Cocculus cordifolius (Willd.) DC., Syst. Nat. 1: 517. 1817.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Amrthu, Amrutavalli, Chitamruthu, Siddamirth
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Tamil name(s):
Guduchi
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English name(s):
Moon creeper, Bile killer, Tinospora, Heart leaved moonseed
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Description:
Climber, glabrous; stems smooth, developing a thin parchment-like bark. Leaves simple, alternate, broadly cordate to cordate, basal sinus often very broad, apex abruptly acuminate, 5-15x 5-13 cm; petioles 2-7 cm long. Inflorescences up to 15 cm long, appearing with leaves. Male flowers: main outer 3 sepals greenish-yellow, ovate 1-1.5 mm long, inner 3 elliptic, concave, 3-4 mm long; petals rhombic-clawed, externally papillose towards base, 2-2.5 mm long; stamen clavate, 3 mm long. Female flowers: petals broadly spathulate; staminodes 1.5 mm long, carpels 1.8 mm long. Drupes red, endocarp thinly bony, broadly elliptic to subrotund in outline, 6-7 mm long.
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Habit:
Climber
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Flowering & Fruiting:
January-June
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District(s):
All Districts
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Moist deciduous forests and scrub jungles, also in the plains
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Distribution:
Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar
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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, 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:
-1400
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Localities:
Kothala, Alampetty, Kalladuthupurai, Mannarappara, Pothundy Dam slopes, Olavakkot, Mannanchery
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