Common Name: Barbados nut. Tamil Name: Kattuamanakku Barbados nut is a shrub native to Central America and grows to a height of about 3 meters. Often planted as an hedge plant in Tamilandu. The plant has a watery sap and the plant is considered poisonous. The simple leaves are arranged in a sub-opposite manner; often … Read More “Jatropha curcas (Euphorbiaceae- Castor family)” »
Author: Rajesh Ramnarayan
Common Name: Orange climber. Tamil Name: Kindu mullu Orange climber is native to Indian sub-continent and is the only member of the monotypic genus ‘Toddalia’. The plant is well armed with recurved prickles and climbs over nearby vegetations-it can reach a height of about 10 meters. This straggler is commonly seen up to mid-altitudes in … Read More “Toddalia asiatica (Rutaceae- Lemon family)” »
Common Name: Frog fruit, Matchweed. Tami Name: Potutalai. Matchweed is a prostrate plant native to South America. It is often found round low land marshy areas around forest areas in India. The plant creeps on the ground and by rooting on the nodes it spreads itself and forms mats on ground. The simple leaves are … Read More “Phyla nodiflora (Verbenenceae- Verbena family)” »
Common Name: Spiny Maclura. Tamil Name: Ekkimullu, Karatti Spiny Maclura is native to India and Sri Lanka and is a large well armed straggler which can grow to over 15 meters. The plant is dioecious with milky sap. It is occasionally seen around dry forest ranges of Coimbatore and Salem districts in Tamilandu. The branches … Read More “Maclura spinosa (Moraceae- Mulberry family)” »
Common Name: Fish berry. Tamil Name: Kattukkodi Fish berry is a woody climber native native to Australia also seen in India and Sri Lanka. It is referred to as fish berry as natives have long used this plant to stun fish. The plant can spread over 5-6 meters, young branches are yellowish-green in color and … Read More “Pachygone ovata (Menispermaceae- Moonseed family)” »