Botanical name: Frerea indica    Family: Apocynaceae (Oleander family)
Synonyms: Caralluma frerea, Desmidorchis dalzellii

IShiv Suman is a fleshy perennial succulent herb, native to the Junnar hill forest in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. It is an endangered plant that has been brought back from the brink of extinction by conservation efforts. It has 50 cm long branches that have elliptic-oblong leaves that are 7 cm long. The leaves grow during the monsoons, in a habit that is unusual compared to its close relatives, it drops the leaves during dry seasons to conserve moisture. The crimson to cherry-red flowers are star shaped with yellow markings, 2-3 cm across. The marking patterns may vary from one population to another. Flowering: August-September.

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The flower labeled Shiv Suman is ...