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P.wightii
Botany: | Vigorous, large vine, rooting ivy like at first, later climbing up on trees, often grow to 10- 12 m high. Leaves small to medium, approximately 9 x 6 cm, glabrous, shining ovate, base round or acute, ribs prominent on the under side, 2 pairs of lateral ribs, first from the base and second pair about 1.0 cm above the base, unequally placed and running to the tip; leaf margin often curved outwards,under side with sparse silvery scales. Spike filiform, pendulous, medium long, 4-8 cm, peduncle about 1-1.5 cm long, spikes reaches about 15 cm, flowers arranged spirally, bracts oblong narrowed towards base, overlapping with successive bracts, adnate to the rachis; margins free; ovary conical, stigma 4- lobed, persistent; style absent, anthers 2-3, stalked, filament thick, dehisce by longitudinal slits. Fruits conical, but almost spherical when mature, with persistent stigma. 2n = 48. |
Keyfeature: | Bracts oblong, leaves thin with silvery scales beneath | Distribution: | Western ghats, Nilgiris & Pulneysin shola forests above 1500 m MSL. |
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