Cocculus hirsutus
(L.) Diels in Engler, Pflanzenr. 46: 236. 1910. Menispermum
hirsutum L., Sp. Pl. 341. 1753. Cocculus villosus (Lam.) DC., Syst. Nat. 1: 525. 1817; Hook.
f. & Thomson in Fl. Brit. India 1: 101. 1872. Menispermum villosum Lam., Encycl. 4: 97.
1797.
Hindi (Bih.): Jaljamani; Tam.: Kattukodi Sirungarukodi.
Straggling or climbing hirsute evergreen shrubs, up to 6 m long; branches densely tomentose. Leaves ovate-cordate, 3 - 6 x 2 - 3.5 cm (basal leaves larger), yellowish tomentose, chartaceous, 5-nerved, various in shape; lower ones of main branches 3 - 5-lobed; upper ones usually entire, narrowly to broadly ovate, ovate-oblong or obovate, cuneate, rounded or rarely cordate at base, obtuse, mucronate at apex, 3 - 8 x 2 - 4 cm; petioles 5 - 20 mm long. Male flowers in up to 5 cm long axillary panicles; peduncles 1.5 - 2.5 cm long; pedicels 0.5 - 1 mm long; sepals 3 - 3, free, long pubescent; outer ones oblong to lanceolate, 1.5 x 2 x 0.5 - 2 mm; inner ones broadly ovate or obovate, 1.5 - 2.5 x 1.7 - 2 mm; petals 6, free, oblong-ovate, auricled at base, 2-fid at apex, 0.5 - 1.5 x 0.3 - 0.6 mm, greenish, thin, sparsely pubescent to glabrescent; stamens 6, free, 0.7 - 1 mm long, enclosed by petals; anthers vertically dehiscing. Female flowers in axillary fascicles or racemes, 0.5 - 2.5 cm long; sepals and petals as in male; staminodes ca 0.5 cm long; carpels 3, 0.7 - 1 mm long; styles terete. Drupes laterally compressed, 4 - 8 x 3 - 4 mm; style-scar basal; endocarp transversely ridged; condyle-septum perforated.
Fl. & Fr. Aug. - May.
Distrib. India: In bushland and semi-desert scrubs, from plains to 1100 m. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Tropical Africa and Asia.
Straggling or climbing hirsute evergreen shrubs, up to 6 m long; branches densely tomentose. Leaves ovate-cordate, 3 - 6 x 2 - 3.5 cm (basal leaves larger), yellowish tomentose, chartaceous, 5-nerved, various in shape; lower ones of main branches 3 - 5-lobed; upper ones usually entire, narrowly to broadly ovate, ovate-oblong or obovate, cuneate, rounded or rarely cordate at base, obtuse, mucronate at apex, 3 - 8 x 2 - 4 cm; petioles 5 - 20 mm long. Male flowers in up to 5 cm long axillary panicles; peduncles 1.5 - 2.5 cm long; pedicels 0.5 - 1 mm long; sepals 3 - 3, free, long pubescent; outer ones oblong to lanceolate, 1.5 x 2 x 0.5 - 2 mm; inner ones broadly ovate or obovate, 1.5 - 2.5 x 1.7 - 2 mm; petals 6, free, oblong-ovate, auricled at base, 2-fid at apex, 0.5 - 1.5 x 0.3 - 0.6 mm, greenish, thin, sparsely pubescent to glabrescent; stamens 6, free, 0.7 - 1 mm long, enclosed by petals; anthers vertically dehiscing. Female flowers in axillary fascicles or racemes, 0.5 - 2.5 cm long; sepals and petals as in male; staminodes ca 0.5 cm long; carpels 3, 0.7 - 1 mm long; styles terete. Drupes laterally compressed, 4 - 8 x 3 - 4 mm; style-scar basal; endocarp transversely ridged; condyle-septum perforated.
Fl. & Fr. Aug. - May.
Distrib. India: In bushland and semi-desert scrubs, from plains to 1100 m. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Tropical Africa and Asia.
