|
back |
| syn. Ceropegia prainii [wrong] |
| distribution:
India: Kolhapur District, Satara District, Sindhudurg District / Maharashtra |
| This beautiful
species grows in open, rocky places in about 1200 to 1400 m above sea
level. It is a small, erect grwoing species with an about 5 cm large, subterranean tuber. The stem is only 5 to 10 cm in length and usually unbranched. The leaves are sub-sessil or have short, ca 1 to 2 mm long petioles, they are narrowly elliptical in shape and reach a length of about 2 to 5 cm and are 0,5 to 1 cm wide. The upside of the leaf is hirsute, beneath the leaf is glabrous, except the nerves. The flowers appear solitary on the nodes at the upper part of the stems. Altogether they are about 5 cm long. The lowr part of the flower is swollen and whitish light green in colour, becoming red near the flower tube. The flower tube itself is, as the united petals, brightly ruby-coloured. The flowering takes place from August to October, fruits appear from October to November. Because the local people of the species' range of distribution dig out the eadible tubers, it is now very threatened. Furthermore, even though the species shows a profuse flowering, only few flowers set viable seed. The local name of the plant is Jaini Kharchudi (in Marathi). |
 left:Ceropegia jainii; Kas Plateau / Satara District / Maharashtra Photo: by courtesy of Shubhada Nikharge http://www.flickr.com/photos/81774258@N00 |
 left:Ceropegia jainii; Kas Plateau / Satara District / Maharashtra Photo: by courtesy of Yuwaraj Gurjar http://www.yuwarajgurjar.com http://www.indianaturewatch.net/view_cat.php?tag=Yuwaraj%20Gurjar |
| References: |