|
Desmodium heterocarpon var. heterocarpon
|
|
|
|
Family:
FABACEAE/LEGUMINOSAE (Subfam.: Papilionoideae)
|
|
Citation: Desmodium heterocarpon (L.) DC., Prodr. 2: 337. 1825, var. heterocarpon; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 148. 1984; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 126. 1985; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 76. 1988; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 137. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 128. 1989; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 157. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 154. 1992; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 146. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 103. 1995; Sasidh. et al., Bot. Stud. Med. Pl. Kerala 10,17,23. 1996; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 139. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Shenduruny WLS 92. 1997; Sivar. & Mathew, Fl. Nilambur 193. 1997; Sasidh., Fl. Chinnar WLS 94. 1999; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 92. 2002; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 205. 2002; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 174. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 219. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 800284 2009.
Hedysarum heterocarpon L., Sp. Pl. 747. 1753.
Hedysarum polycarpum Poir. in Lam., Encycl. 6: 431. 1805.
Desmodium polycarpum (Poir.) DC., Prodr. 2: 334. 1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 171. 1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 346(244).1918.
Desmodium patens Wight, Ic. t. 407. 1840.
|
|
Malayalam Name(s):
Nilathuvara
|
|
Tamil name(s):
|
|
English name(s):
Asian Tick Trefoil
|
|
Description:
Ascending undershrubs; root stock creeping; branches adpressed hairy. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 1.5-4 x 1-2.2 cm, obovate or broadly elliptic-oblong, apex rounded or retuse, base obtuse, glabrous above, appressed-pubescent below; petiole to 2 cm long; stipules c. 5 mm long; subulate. Racemes terminal, panicled 2.5-4.5 cm long; densely covered with appressed straight hairs. Flowers 5-6 mm long; pedicels 3-5 mm long; bracts c. 3-4 mm long; lanceolate. Calyx-tube 2-2.5 mm long; 2 upper lobes connate, 3-lower narrower, acuminate, longer than tube. Flowers purple; standard petal 5-6 mm long; obovate-orbicular. Pods 1.2-2 x 0.3-0.4 cm, lower margin indented, upper straight, 5-7-jointed; joints about as broad as long.
|
|
Habit:
Shrub
|
|
Flowering & Fruiting:
October-December
|
|
District(s):
All Districts
|
|
Medicinal:
|
|
Habitat:
Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also in plains
|
|
Distribution:
Indo-Malesia, China and Japan
|
|
Aquatic:
No
|
|
Epiphyte(s):
No
|
|
Saprophyte:
No
|
|
Stem parasite:
No
|
|
Root parasite:
No
|
|
Flower colour(s):
Violet, Blue
|
|
Weed:
No
|
|
Monocot/Dicot:
Dicotyledonous Plants
|
|
Exotic:
No
|
|
Garden:
No
|
|
Edible:
No
|
|
Vegetable:
No
|
|
Endemic to:
|
|
IUCN status:
|
|
Altitude:
300-700
|
|
Localities:
Vazhachal, Kattalappara, Olikkudy, Orukomban, Manantody, Boneccord, Nadugani ghats, Arampa, Damsite, Aralam, Chandanathode, Kannoth, Silent Valley R. F., Kottur R.F., Kasaragod, Kalavoor, Kanjirakadavu, Vaniampuzha, Kulathupuzha, Vandalodu, Kottur, Karam
|