Category: Sub-shrubs and Herbs

Spinflex littoreus (Family: Poaceae (grass family)

Posted on By Rajesh Ramnarayan
Mangrove/mangrove associates, Sub-shrubs and Herbs, Tamil Nadu

Common name: Ravan’s moustache. Tamil Name: Iravanan-pul. This perennial plant is commonly seen in sand dunes near beaches. The plant can be spotted in coastal beach areas in Tamilnadu, Goa and Konkan. These plants aggregate into large clumps on beach sand dunes. They continuously colonize new areas by deploying their horizontally branching stems which root … Read More “Spinflex littoreus (Family: Poaceae (grass family)” »

Glinus oppositifolius (Family-Mulluginaceae-Carpetweed family

Posted on By Rajesh Ramnarayan
Coimbatore, Sub-shrubs and Herbs

Tamil name: Thurai Poondu. The plant is often seen near damp sandy soil areas. It is a much branched prostrate herb. It forms extensive mats on the floor which extend to more than 40 cm. The plant is glabrous with leaves seen in whorls of 3-5 numbers (of differing sizes) arranged in opposite manner. The … Read More “Glinus oppositifolius (Family-Mulluginaceae-Carpetweed family” »

Crotalaria heyneana (Fabaceae family-pea family)

Posted on By Rajesh Ramnarayan
Endemic, Sub-shrubs and Herbs

This plant is seen in both Western and Eastern Ghats regions. It is a small shrub growing to a height of about two feet. The stem and branches are terete (cylindrical), the plant is mostly glabrous. The leaf arrangement is alternate simple. Leaves have an elliptical shape; tip is pointed; base cuneate. Flowers are pea … Read More “Crotalaria heyneana (Fabaceae family-pea family)” »

Crotalaria grahamiana (Fabaceae family-pea family).

Posted on By Rajesh Ramnarayan
Coimbatore, Endemic, Sub-shrubs and Herbs

Endemic to South Western Ghats this plant is a shrub growing to a height of about 2 meters. It has an angular stem which is often seen in green color. Unique features of this plant are the palmately compound leaf: about 5-7 foliate. Crotalarias belong to the pea family and are one of the important … Read More “Crotalaria grahamiana (Fabaceae family-pea family).” »

Crotalaria angulata (Fabaceae family-pea family)

Posted on By Rajesh Ramnarayan
Coimbatore, Sub-shrubs and Herbs

This plant is an annual hairy prostrate plant. The leaves are arranged in alternate manner; margin entire; margin ciliated with thin hairs. The petiolate leaves are ovate to round in shape. The flowers are typically yellow in color and are pea flower shaped.  The lateral raceme is two flowered. The fruit pod is sub-orbicular hairy … Read More “Crotalaria angulata (Fabaceae family-pea family)” »