Christisonia calcarata - Spurred Christisonia

Spurred Christisonia

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Camera make	Canon
Camera model	Canon PowerShot S5 IS
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Photo: Prashant Awale

Common name: Spurred Christisonia • Marathi: भुई नळा Bhui nala

Botanical name: Christisonia calcarata Family: Orobanchaceae (Broomrape family)

Spurred Christisonia is a parasitic herb with a simple glabrous stem, 10 cm or more tall with a corymb-like raceme at the top. Scales broadly ovate, obtuse; bracteoles absent; pedicels 5 cm or more long. Tubular flowers 4-6 cm long, whitish below with pale bluish limb. Sepals 1-2 cm long, including 3-4 mm long segments. Stamen filaments pubescent; anther cells often dimorphic, sterile cells conically spurred. Capsules 6-9 mm long and about as broad, with persistent calyx segments; seeds 2.5 mm in diameter. Flowering: July-August.

Photographed at Prabalgad Fort, Maharashtra.

Identification credit: Prashant Awale • Is this flower misidentified? If yes,