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Black Creeper
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Black Creeper
ative Photo: Prashant Awale
Common name: Black Creeper • Bengali: শ্যামা লতা Shyama Lata • Gujarati: શ્યામલતા Shyamlata • Hindi: दीर्घ मूला Dirgha-Mula, काली दूधी Kali Dudhi, श्यामलता Shyamalata • Kannada: ಗೌರಿಬಳ್ಳಿ Gauriballi, ಹಾಲುಗೆಣಸು Halugenasu, ಕರೇ ಹಂಬು Kare-Hambu, ಕೂಗಲ ಬಳ್ಳಿ Koogal Balli • Konkani: कांटे भोंवरी Kante Bhonvri, कृष्णसरवा Krishnasarwa • Malayalam: നന്നാറി Nannari, പാൽവള്ളി Palvalli • Marathi: काटे भोवरी Kate Bhowari, कृष्णसारिवा Krishna Sariva, श्यामलता Shyamalata • Nepali: दुधे लहरा Dudhe Lahara • Odia:ମହିଳା Mahila, ପ୍ରିଯଙ୍ଗୁଲତା Priyangulata, ଶ୍ଯାମ ଲତା Shyama Lata, ସୁଆଁ ନଇ Suan Nai • Sanskrit: कृष्णसारिवा Krishnasariva, श्यामलता Shyamalata • Tamil: ஊதற்கொடி Utar-Koti • Telugu: ముంతగజ్జనము Munta-Gaj-Janamu • Tibetan: Thal Tras Nag Po • Tulu: ಆಚಾರಿಬೂರು Acharibooru, ಪೆರುಬಳ್ಳು Peruballu Source: Names of Plants in India
Botanical name: Ichnocarpus frutescens    Family: Apocynaceae (Oleander family)
Synonyms: Apocynum frutescens, Echites frutescens, Quirivelia frutescens
Black Creeper is an evergreen woody twiners, with branches smooth or rust, velvety when young, with milky sap. Probably, because of the rust colored stems, this creeper earned the names black creeper, श्यामलता Shyamalata etc. Leaves are elliptic oblong or lance-shaped, tip pointed or tapering, base rounded or narrow, 4-10 cm long, 1.5-5 cm wide. Leaves are smooth and dark green above, and paler beneath, with 2.5-5 mm long stalks. Flowers are borne in many flowered clusters, 3-8 cm across. The stalks carrying the flowers and the flower clusters are hairy. Flowers are white, about 1 cm across. Sepals are ovate, blunt, velvety, about 1 mm long. Flower tube is about 2.5 mm long, much thickened at the mouth. Petals are 1.5 mm long, with long hairs on the margin. Follicles are solitary or paired, 10-15 x 0.5 cm, straight or curved, rusty pubescent when young. Seeds very slender, 1-2 cm long. Flowering: August-December.
Identification credit: Prashant Awale Photographed at Pench Reserve Forest, Maharashtra.
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