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Vitex peduncularis
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Family:
VERBENACEAE
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Citation: Vitex peduncularis Wall. ex Schauer in DC., Prodr. 11: 687. 1847; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 4: 587. 1885; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1103(772). 1924; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 541. 1997; Rajendran & Daniel, Indian Verbenaceae 367. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 396. 2005.
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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:
Tree, 7-18 m high; stem and branches slender, obtusely 4-angular or subterete; young parts pubescent, glabrous when mature; nodes annulate; internodes 2.5-6 cm long. Leaves usually 3, rarely 4-foliolate; petioles flattened, slender, 5-10 cm long, pubescent; leaflets lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate or narrow-elliptic, acuminate or attenuate at base, entire somewhat undulate along margins, acuminate at apex; middle leaflets 10-20 x 3-5 cm; petiolules 0.5-1.5 cm long; lateral leaflets 8.5-15 x 3-4 cm; petiolules 0.5-1 cm long; chartaceous, subglabrous or glabrous above, with dense minute rounded yellow resinous glands beneath; lateral nerves 18-22 pairs, distinct beneath. Panicles axillary, 20-28 cm long; peduncles flattened, slender, 6.5-14 cm long, densely pubescent; bracts linear, ca 1 mm, pubescent. Flowers numerous; pedicels 1-2 mm long. Calyx campanulate, minutely 5-toothed with minute rounded yellow glands outside. Corolla infundibular, 2-lipped, 5-lobed, yellow or cream-coloured; upper lip 2-lobed; lobes ovate, ca 1 mm long; lower lip 3-lobed; midlobe suborbicular or ovate, entire, obtuse, ca 2 mm long; lateral lobes oblong, acute, ca 1.2 x 1 mm; tube narrow, ca 2 x 2 mm, grey-pubescent with rounded resinous glands outside. Stamens 4, didynamous; filaments slender, 2-3 mm long, included, sparsely hairy at base; anthers oblong, ca 0.7 mm, divaricate, basifixed. Ovary globose, ca 1 mm, glabrous; style stout, ca 3 mm long; stigma 2-lobed. Drupes globose, ca 0.7 cm, red; fruiting-calyx platelliform, ca 1 cm across, membranous, glabrous.
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Habit:
Tree
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Flowering & Fruiting:
February-April
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District(s):
Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Wayanad
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Moist deciduous forests near streams
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Distribution:
Indo-Malesia
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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
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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:
Kalleli, Karulai
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