Ceropegia maccannii (Ansari)
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| syn. - |
| distribution:
India: Ahmednagar District, Pune District / Maharashtra |
| In the wild Ceropegia maccannii can be found in 600 to 1200 m above sea level. This species in an erect growing plant with an subterranean tube. The stem can reach 30 to 100 cm in length. The leaves are 9 to 12 cm long and 4 to 6 cm wide, they are lancet-shaped and have an about 1 to 2 cm long petiole. Their upper surface is haired, the underside is, except for the veins, glabrous. The flowers stand in groups of six to ten in cymes at the upper part of the stem. The flower is about 2,5 cm long and reminds in its appearance somewhat on a bowling pin. The outside of the flower is completely white in colour, whereas the petals are a bit darker. On the inside the flower is, apart from the petals, completely dark rubin-coloured. The flowering takes time from July to August, fruits are produced from September to October. The tubers are edible. One of the local names of this plant is Kahrpudi (in Marathi). This species, together with Ceropegia panchganiensis, Ceropegia rollae and Ceropegia sahyadrica, was assigned as a synonym to Ceropegia lawii by U. Meve (2002), but according to recent (2009) molecular analyses all five formes represent independent species. |
| References: - M. Y. Ansari: Ceropegia maccannii Ansari - a new species. Ibid., 22: 227-229 (1980) - Focke Albers; Ulrich Meve: Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Asclepiadaceae; Springer (November 4, 2002) - Siddharthan Surveswaran; Mayur Y. Kamble; Shrirang R. Yadav; Mei Sun: Molecular phylogeny of Ceropegia (Asclepiadoideae, Apocynaceae) from Indian Western Ghats. Plant Systematics and Evolution 281:1-4, 51-63 (2009) |