ANGIOSPERMS

ANGIOSPERMS OF WESTERN GHATS

Ceropegia jainii

Jaini Ceropegia is a very rare and threatened herb, endemic to the Sahyadri Hills. It is a small erect herb, 10-20 cm high, with tuberous root. Tubers are hairless, 2-3 cm. Slender stem is green with oppositely arranged leaves. Leaves are linear-lanceshaped, 2-5 cm long, hairy on both sides, margins with stiff hairs. Flowers occur singly in leaf axils. Slender flower-stalks are 6-10 mm long. Sepals are lance-shaped, 3-5 mm. Flowers are 2 cm long, tubular, with the tube enlarged at the base and white. Five narrow linear petals are 1 cm long, reddish-purple, and hairy at the base. Sometimes the flower is completely purplish-red.

Pleocaulus ritchei

Mal Karvy is a small perennial shrub, usually half a meter tall, but after the flowering year, grows to 2 m tall. Numerouis quadrangular stems form a hemispherical tuft on the ground. Oppositely arranged stalkless leaves are ovate, rounded at the base, 2-3 cm long. Purple flowers occur in spikes 3-8 cm long, either in leaf axils or at the end of branches. Bristly bracts are 2 cm long, with long hairs, and tinged with purple. Flowers are bell-shaped with flaring petals. Stamens are 6 in number, and remain inside the flower.