Common Name: Indian Birthwort. Tamil name: Ishvaramulli, Peru-maruntu
Indian Birthwort is a perennial, woody, twinning climber native to the Indian Peninsular region. It is often found along road-sides and fallow lands- growing on fences and other nearby vegetations. The stem is rounded, striated and hair-less. The simple leaves are arranged in an alternate manner; the leaf margin is entire; the leaf shape is elliptical-oblong; the leaf base is truncate and apex acuminate. The leaf stalk and leaf measure around 8-9 mm and 3.8 cm respectively. The inflorescence is in the form of an axially few flowering raceme. The plant flowers through the year; the flowers are one lipped and greenish-purple in color. The fruit is in the form of a basket shaped capsule with 6 separate ridges; on dehiscence the structure looks like a parachute. The fruit encloses several stalked seeds. The seeds are flat in shape, brown in color, papery and wind dispersed. Indian Birthwort is the larval host plant for large butterflies like Common rose, Crimson rose and Sahyadri birdwing.
