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Pueraria tuberosa
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Family:
FABACEAE/LEGUMINOSAE (Subfam.: Papilionoideae)
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Citation: Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) DC., Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 4: 97. 1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 2: 197. 1876; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 360(254). 1918; Manilal, Fl. Silent Valley 85. 1988; Ramach. & V.J. Nair, Fl. Cannanore Dist. 152. 1988; Vajr., Fl. Palghat Dist. 168. 1990; Sanjappa, Legumes Ind. 235. 1992; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 150. 1996; Ravikumar & Ved, Illustr. Field Guide 100 Red Listed Med. Pl. 313. 2000 Sasidh., Fl. Parambikulam WLS 99. 2002; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 303. 2009.
Hedysarum tuberosum Roxb. ex Willd., Sp. Pl. 3: 1197. 1803.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Muthuku
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Tamil name(s):
Vidarikand
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English name(s):
Indian kudzu, Tuberous honeysuckle
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Description:
Large climbing shrubs with tuberous roots; branchlets appressed-velvety. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 5-18 x 5-12.5 cm, ovate or the terminal rhomboid, base obtuse or acute, laterals oblique at base, apex acuminate, scattered hairy above, appressed hairy beneath; lateral nerves 7 or 8 pairs, reticulations prominent; petiole to 18 cm long; stipules c. 5 mm long, ovate. Racemes axillary, 15-35 cm long; rachis silky. Flowers c. 1.3 cm long, bluish-purple, ternate on the nodes of racemes; pedicels c. 3 mm long. Calyx c. 7 mm long, tomentose; tube campanulate; lobes ovate. Standard c. 1.2 cm, long, orbicular, base auricled, apex emarginate; wings c. 1.2 cm long, with spur above base; keels long-clawed. Stamens 9+1, vexillary stamen apically fused, free at base. Ovary to 8 mm long, oblong, densely brown-hirsute; style incurved; stigma capitate. Pods 2.5-5.5 x 0.5-0.6 cm, linear, hairy.
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Habit:
Climber
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Flowering & Fruiting:
December-April
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District(s):
Palakkad, Alappuzha, Kannur, Thrissur, Wayanad
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Moist deciduous forests
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Distribution:
India, also in Tropical Himalayas
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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):
Blue, 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:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
500-1200
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Localities:
Peechi, Anappadi, Panthenthode border, Begur, Tolpetty, Anmooly slopes, Ayyappankovil, Kappakada
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