Ceropegia

syn. -

distribution:

India: Ahmednagar District, Satara District / Maharashtra

In the wild this species is known from only two places in the state of Maharshtra, Mahabaleshwar in the Satara District as well as Harischandragad in the Ahmednagar District, there it can vbe found growing on steep slopes and rocks in about 1200 m above sea level.

Ceropegia panchganiensis is an erect grwowing species with an subterranean tuber.

The stem is about 50 cm tall and pubescent in its upper part.

The short petioled leaves are about 5 to 9 cm long and 3,5 to 4,5 wide. Their upper surface is hirsute, the leaf base is round or cordate.

The flowers stand in groups of two to four in cymes at the upper part of the stems. The flower is about 5 to 6,5 cm long. The greenish white coloured flower base is slightly swollen, the whitish flower tube is very thin and looks quite delicate. The yellow to dark yellow coloured petals are broadened and united at the tip.

In its home range the plant is known by the names Kharpudi resp. Khartundi (in Marathi).

This species, together with Ceropegia maccannii, 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 panchganiensis Blatt & Mc Cann. (Asclepiadaceae), a little-known species rediscovered. Bull. Bot. Surv. India, 22: 199-201 (1980)
- Wu Zheng-Yi; Peter H. Raven: Flora of China, Volume 16: Gentianaceae through Boraginaceae. Missouri Botanical Garden Press 1995
- 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)