Common Name: Gulbel, Guduchi. Tamil Name: Amrtavallu, Kunali, Gulbel is a large glabrous woody climber with corky bark and native to the Indian sub-continent. This plant is commonly seen in forest edges, road sides and farmlands. It climbs over nearby vegetation and can climb up large trees and extend itself to over 10 meters. The simple leafs are arranged in alternate manner. The petiole measure around 7 cm in length the attachment to the leaf is not peltate. The leaf shape is ovate, base cordate and apex pointed, margins are entire. The inflorescence is in the form of an axillary raceme which can extend to 15 cm in length. The flower measure around 7mm across. It consists of three each of sepals and petals and both are yellow in color. The plant is dioecious (female and male plant separate). The male flower has 6 anthers which stick out of the flower. The female flower has pistil and staminodes (sterile male part). The fruit is in the form of a sub-globose drupe which turn dark red when fully mature. Gulbel is a much valued medicinal plant in traditional medicinal systems. The plant can be easily grown in home gardens around hedges. It is the larval host plant for Clipper butterfly.
