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Medinilla anamalaiana
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Family:
MELASTOMATACEAE
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Citation: Medinilla anamalaiana Sasidh. & Sujanapal, Sida 20: 110. 2002; Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 124. 2002; Sasidh. & Sujanapal, Rheedea 15: 105. 2005.
Medinilla malabarica sensu Mohanan & Sivadasan, Fl. Agasthyamala 269. 2002, non Bedd. 1868-1874.
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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:
Epiphytic subshrubs; branches fleshy, acutely quadrangular or subquadrangular, sparingly branched, sometimes rooting from lower nodes, smooth, on drying forms a winged appearance; stem 20-35 cm long, young shoots reddish-brown. Leaves membranous, opposite pairs unequal, sometimes equal, larger one 7-11.5 x 3-5 cm, smaller 4-6 x 2.5-3.5 cm, elliptic-oblong, apex obtusely acuminate, acumen sometimes twisted, base subcordate or obtuse, 3-ribbed, lateral nerves ribs near the margins, faint towards apex, margin entire; petiole 2-4 mm, flattened, glabrous. Flowers 4-merous, 2-5 in axils or from leafless nodes in horizontal row, sometimes 2 or 3 on a short stalk (1-2 mm); pedicel with 2 minute bracteoles at base, jointed, 2 mm at anthesis, elongating to 4 mm in fruit; hypanthium obovate, subquadrangular, 3 mm across, thinly puberulus, shortly narrowed at mouth with 8 minute teeth; petals 5-7 x 4 mm, rose-pink, obliquely obovate, minutely apiculate; stamens 8, filaments 3 mm long; anthers 2 mm long; ovary 1.5 mm across, obovoid, 4-celled, connected to hypanthium with 8 membranous appendages; style to 7 mm long; stigma minutely capitate, papillate. Berries 4 mm across, globose, glabrous; crowned by a small hypanthial limb; seeds many, yellowish-brown, 1.5 x 1 mm, smooth, ovoid, concave on the side of raphe.
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Habit:
Shrub
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Flowering & Fruiting:
January-June
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District(s):
Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Evergreen forests
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Distribution:
Southern Western Ghats (Kerala)
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
Yes
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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):
Pink
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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:
Kerala
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
400-1300
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Localities:
Shekkalmudi, Puliyala
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