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P.galeatum
| Botany: | A stout woody climber, dioecious.leaves usually elliptic- lanceolate to lanceolate or elliptic; thick glabrous, about 10x4 cm size smaller in male vines, base acute, two pairs of lateral ribs from the base, the third pair about 1-2 cm above the base, and often placed unequally, nervules more prominent on the lower side. Spike filiform, pendulous, young ones green or pale purple, mature yellowish white, glabrous, peduncle short, glabrous.male spikes long, about 10-15 cm, sometimes reaching up to 25 cm; bracts prominent, connate, forming a fleshy cup or boat shaped structure, shortly stipitate, and recurved; glabrous; style absent, stamens two, anther lobes two, carpel single, ovary obovate, stigma 3-4 lobed. Fruits green, on ripening turn bright yellow and then to orange red; oblong, or spherical, bold, taste bitter first and slightly pungent later. 2n = 40 ( Aneuploid) |
| Keyfeature: | Spike glabrous, flowers shortly stipitate | | Distribution: | Distributed in Western Ghats, Anamala & Agasthyamala & Courtallum Hills of Tirunelvely in dense forest under growth at medium elevations of 500-800 m MSL. |
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