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Kerala Sonerila
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Kerala Sonerila
ative Photo: Shivaprakash Nedle
Common name: Kerala Sonerila • Malayalam: Soneri-ila
Botanical name: Sonerila rheedei    Family: Melastomataceae (Melastome family)
Synonyms: Sonerila keralensis, Sonerila loeiensis, Sonerila kanjilasseriensis

Kerala Sonerila is a small herb up to 15 cm tall, stemless or with very short stem which is quadrangular. Leaves are ovate, 3.2-7.5 cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm broad, base somewhat heart-shaped or rounded, margin minutely toothed or entire. Upper surface of the leaf is covered with short bristles, underside paler and usually with minute scaly points. Flowers are violet, 4-8, crowded in umbels, either at branch ends or in leaf axils. Capsule is 2-5 mm long, somewhat bell-shaped. Kerala Sonerila is endemic to Southern Western Ghats.

Identification credit: Shivaprakash Nedle Photographed at Nekkarekadu, Vittal, Karnataka.

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