Common Name: White bark acacia, Brewers acacia. Tamil Name: Akamanaram, Velvel. White bark acacia is medium sized tree, native to the Indian sub-continent and grows to around 15 meters in height. It forms a umbrella like crown. The tree is identified by its white-yellowish bark and is historically associated agro-pastoral systems of Tamilnadu. It is … Read More “Vachellia leucophoea-Mimosaceae (Touch-me-not family)” »
Common name: Chakrani Chakrani is a shrub that grows to around 2 meters and is found in evergreen forest areas of the Western Ghats. The simple leafs are arranged in an alternate manner. The leaf shape is oblong-lanceolate. Below the leaf surface three nerves are prominently exposed. The leaf measure around 10-12 cm in length. … Read More “Thottea siliquosa-Aristolochiaceae (Birthwort family)” »
Common name: Warty marble tree. Tamil name: Malampinnai, Rudraksham Warty marble tree belongs to the Indo-Malayan region it grows to over 40 meters in height. However, most of the trees i have seen in Nilgiris look much smaller. The is rather uncommon in Wester ghats area. I have seen a few of these trees inside … Read More “Elaeocarpus tuberculatus- Elaeocarpaceae (Rudraksh family)” »
Common name: Shield leaf ariopsis. Local name: Kalthamara A peltata is a small herb endemic to the western ghat regions of India. It is found on mountainous rocky cliff surfaces in Tropical habitat areas of the Western Ghats. The leafs are arranged in an alternate manner and have a heart shaped base and are orbicular … Read More “Ariopsis peltata – Araceae (Arum family)” »
Common Name: Hairy mistletoe This is a hemirparasitic (they have chlorophyll and undertake photosynthesis but also depend on host plant for water and nutrients) perennial shrub mostly seen around tropical forest areas at altitudes of more than in 500 msl. It is an shrub with attaches to the host plant via haustoria- to extract water … Read More “Taxillus tomentosus- Loranthaceae (Mistletoe family)” »
