Desmos viridiflorus (Beddome) Safford in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 39: 506. 1912. Unona viridiflora Beddome, Icon. Pl. Ind. Or. t. 34, 158. 1868 - 1874; Hook. f. & Thomson in Fl. Brit. India 1: 60. 1872.

Gigantic climbers; young branches golden pubescent, older glabrate. Leaves ovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, rounded at base, long-attenuate to acuminate at apex, 7.5 - 14 x 2.5 - 4.5 cm, glabrous and shiny above, pubescent and whitish beneath; petioles 3 - 6 mm long, rufous pubescent. Flowers solitary, extra-axillary or leaf-opposed; pedicels slender, 2 - 2.5 cm long, rufous pubescent; bract solitary below the middle, cordate, acuminate,6 - 10 mm long, rufous pubescent. Sepals 3, narrowly ovate, acute, 1.5 x 0.7 - 1 cm, pubescent on both surfaces. Petals 6 (3 + 3); outer ones 2.5 - 6.5 x 0.8 - 1.2 cm; inner ones smaller, lanceolate, acuminate, silky pubescent or glabrescent. Stamens numerous, ca 1.5 mm long, cuneate; anther-thecae linear; connectives subglobose at top. Carpels many, linear to oblong, ca 1.5 mm long, hairy; style short; stigma slightly curved. Ripe carpels not seen but young carpels show a tendency towards moniliform nature.

Fl. April; Fr. Oct.

Distrib. India; Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Endemic and rare.

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