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Hedyotis buxifolia
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Family:
RUBIACEAE
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Citation: Hedyotis buxifolia Bedd., Ic. t. 1. 1868-1874; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 3: 52. 1880; Swarup. et al., Shola For. Kerala 67. 1998; Dutta & Deb, Taxonomic Revision Hedyotis 53. 2004.
Oldenlandia buxifolia (Bedd.) O. Ktze., Rev. Gen. Pl. 1: 292. 1891; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 601(421). 1921.
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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:
Herbs or undershrubs, 15-30 cm long; stem obtusely angular or terete, articulated with scars of stipules and fallen leaves at short intervals, glabrous. Leaves 1-1.5 x 0.5-0.7 cm, ovate or elliptic, acute or obtuse at apex, contracted to a short petiole at base, revolute at margin, coriaceous, shining, glabrous, midrib prominent, laterals obscure; petiole 0.2-0.5 x 0.2 mm, short, flattened; stipules 2.5-3 x 3-4 mm, sheathing at base with short, stiff, 6-7 glabrous or ciliate bristles and a line of pubescence along the centre of stipules. Inflorescence terminal and axillary(upper axil), peduncled, 3-flowered cymes. Flowers sessile, 9-10 mm long, sparsely pubescent outside; bracts filiform, 1-2 mm long. Hypanthium ovoid, 1-1.5 mm long; Calyx limb 0.3-0.5 mm long; lobes 4, 1-1.5 mm long, lanceolate, acute. Corolla pale violet; tube 2-3 mm long, densely pubescent inside at throat; lobes 1.5-2.2 mm long, oblong, acute, incurved at apex, beaked, minutely pubescent inside. Stamens 4; filaments exserted, 1.5-2 mm long; adnate to throat; anthers 0.7-1 mm long, linear ovary 0.7-1 mm long; ovules many on submedian placenta; style 1-2 mm long, glabrous; stigma bilobed, 0.5-0.8 mm long, linear, papillose. Capsule 4-5 x 2-2.5 mm, ellipsoid or subglobose, glabrous, with sine striations, dehiscing septicidally, ultimately becoming quadripartite. Seeds many, small, 0.3-0.5 x 0.1-0.3 mm, angular, reticulate.
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Habit:
Shrub
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Flowering & Fruiting:
April-June
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District(s):
Idukki
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Shola forests
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Distribution:
Southern Western Ghats
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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
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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:
Southern Western Ghats
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IUCN status:
Vulnerable (VU)
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Altitude:
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Localities:
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