Botanical Survey of India | Flora of India

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Ampelocissus rugosa (Waltich) Planchon in J. Vigne Amer. 8: 375. 1884 & in DC., Monogr. Phan. 5: 376. 1887. Vitis rugosa Wal1ich in Roxb., Fl. Ind. 2: 480. 1824. V. nervosa M. Lawson in Fl. Brit. India 1: 650. 1875. Ampelocissus nervosa (M. Lawson) Planchon in DC., Monogr. Phan. 5: 372. 1887.


Hindi: Asojapharphuta.

Climbing or scrambling shrubs; branches fairly stout, striate, reddish tomentose when young. Leaves simple, broad-ovate to suborbicular, 12-45 x 10-40 cm, acute at apex, shallowly 3-7-lobed, truncate-cordate at base with the basal pair of nerves bordering the sinus, sinuate-dentate at margins, pubescent above, greenish white, rusty or brownish tomentose beneath; petioles 6-20 cm long. Inflorescences divaricate, umbellate cymes; peduncles 6-10 cm long; tendrils bifurcate, ca 8 cm long, rusty-tomentose; primary branch of inflorescence ca 2 cm long; cymes 2.5 -4 cm long. Flowers ca 1.5 mm long, red; pedicels 1-2 mm long. Calyx cupular, pubescent. Petals oblong, ca 1.5 x 1 mm, incurved at apex, glabrous. Stamens ca 1 mm long; anthers globose. Disc covering about half of ovary, 5-furrowed. Ovary ca 1 mm across, 10-ribbed, glabrous; stigma sessile. Berries globose, 7.5-10 mm across. Seeds ellipsoid-obovoid, 5-7 x 3.5-5 mm; adaxial surface with a broad longitudinal ridge; abaxial surface with a deep circular pit ca 1.5 mm across and shallow rays.

Fl. & Fr. : April - Nov.

Distrib. India: Himalaya, from Garhwal eastwards and Khasia Hills, between 1200-2500 m. Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.

Nepal and Myanmar.

Notes. The type of Vitis nervosa M. Lawson (Sikkim, J.D. Hooker S.n., CAL!, K!) is similar to that of Vitis rugosa Wallich, except that the tomentum is not so dense. Otherwise in leaf-shape, inflorescence type and seed structure it resembles V. rugosa Wallich . They are therefore considered conspecific.

Uses. The fruits are edible.




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