FoI
Indian Grass Lily
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Indian Grass Lily
P Native Photo: Jayesh Patil
Common name: Indian Grass Lily • Kannada: ಕಾಡು ಬೆಳ್ಳುಳ್ಳಿ kaadu bellulli, ನೀರು ಬಾಳೆ neeru baale • Marathi: जांभळे भुईचक्र jambhale bhui-chakra • Telugu: కాకి కాటుక kaki katuka
Botanical name: Iphigenia indica    Family: Colchicaceae (Colchicum family)
Synonyms: Melanthium indicum, Anguillaria indica

Indian Grass Lily is a small perennial herb only 10-25 cm tall. Leaves are grass-like 7-15 cm long,3-9 mm broad. Midvein is prominent, base is sheathing and stem-clasping. Flowers are borne in 2-10-flowered clusters. Bracts are linear, 1.5-2.5 cm long, flower-stalks 2-4 cm long. Tepals are dark purple, linear to narrowly inverted-lanceshaped 7-10 mm long,0.7-1 mm wide. Stamens are 2-3 mm long, with anthers about 1 mm. Stigma lobes are curved back. Capsule are obovoid to oblong, 6-8 × 3-3.5 mm. Indian Grass Lily is found in peninsular India and in the Himalayas, from Kumaun to Nepal, at altitudes of 1800-2000 m. Flowering: June-July.

Identification credit: Jayesh Patil Photographed in Matheran, Maharashtra.

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