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Helicanthes elastica
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Family:
LORANTHACEAE
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Citation: Helicanthes elastica (Desr.) Danser, Verh. Akad. Wet. afd. Natuurk. Sect. 2. 29: 55. 1933; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 253. 1982; Ansari, Fl. Kasaragod Div. 327. 1985; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 239. 1988; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 349. 1989; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 350. 1984; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 410. 1990; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 318. 1995; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 385. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 356. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 274. 2002; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 580. 2002; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 612. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 708. 2009.
Loranthus elasticus Desr. in Lam., Encycl. 3: 599. 1792; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 216. 1886; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1254(877). 1925.
Dendrophthoe elasticus (Desr.) Danser, Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenz. ser. 3, 10: 308. 1929; Anil Kumar et al., Fl. Pathanamthitta 428. 2005.
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Malayalam Name(s):
MavuIththill
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
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Description:
Semi-parasitic dichotomously branched subshrubs; branchlets woody, swollen at nodes, glabrous. Leaves opposite, 4-8 x 1.5-4 cm, ovate or elliptic-oblong, base obtuse or truncate, apex acute or obtuse, thickly coriaceous, glaucous beneath, basally 3-nerved; sessile or subsessile. Flowers aggregated in short axillary fascicles. Calyx minute, flask-shaped, margin truncate. Corolla white with green stripes, 2.5-3.5 cm long, split lengthwise into 5 linear, twisted lobes. Stamens 5, exserted, filaments crimson. Ovary ca. 1.5 mm long; style 3-3.5 cm long; stigma ovoid. Berry 6-8 x 3-3.5 mm, obovoid, red.
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Habit:
Shrub
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Flowering & Fruiting:
December-March
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District(s):
All Districts
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Evergreen and moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
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Distribution:
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:
Yes
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Green, 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:
Western Ghats
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
600-750
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Localities:
Peechi, Kuriachira, Vallakkadavu, Thellickal, Panthenthode border, Kodumon, Kalliassey, Olavakkot, Mulleria, Mannarghat town, Thenmalai, Rockwood, Ezhupunna, Koviltherimala
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