Common Name: Gardenia, Cape Jasmine. Cape jasmine is native to the South East Asian region and is shrub that grows to around 10 feet in height. The glossy elliptic shaped leaves are arranged in an opposite manner. The flowers are large and white in color which fade into cream on maturing. The shrub has a … Read More “Gardenia jasminoides J. Ellis (Rubiaceae- Coffee family)” »
Author: Rajesh Ramnarayan
Common Name: Mysore coral tree. Tamil Name: Erabudu. Mysore coral tree is native to the Indochina region and grows to a height of 20 meters. It is generally seen between 500 MSL to around 1500 MSL in the Western ghat region. Often deployed in Coffee agro-forestry systems as a shade tree. Mysore coral tree is … Read More “Erythrina subumbrans (Hassk.) Merr. (Fabaceae- Pea family)” »
Tamil Name: Malaivagei. I found this unarmed plant in Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary (above 2000 MSL)in Kerala around Jan 2024. I initially thought it was a Albizia species, it was later proved wrong. This is a large shrub or somewhat a small tree. The leaves are bipinnate and the leaflets arranged in an opposite manner. The … Read More “Archidendron clypearia (Jack) I.C.Nielsen (Fabaceae)” »
Common name: Butterfly orchid Found in India and Sri Lanka, this orchid is occasionally found on as an epiphyte on trees in mountainous regions of western ghat. This specimen was found in Munnar town growing on Prunus cerasoides (Himalayan cherry tree). The orchid seems to have cylindrical leafs and appear like sticks. The inflorescence is … Read More “Papilionanthe subulata (Willd.) Garay (Orchidaceae- Vanilla family)” »
Common Name: Konkan Eranthemum. Tamil Name: Krungu Konkan Eranthemum is a sub-shrub that grows to a height of about 2 feet in length. The plant is perhaps native to the Indian Peninsular region and often seen in moist deciduous forest zones. The plant is mostly glabrous and they have thin papery leaves. The simple leaves … Read More “Eranthemum capense L. (Acanthaceae- Acanthus family)” »