cordofana
(Hochst. ex Webb) Müll.Arg. in DC. Prodr. 15(2): 1244. 1866;
Sundararagh. & B.G.Kulkarni in Kew Bull. 35: 323. 1980. Dalechampia cordofana Hochst. ex
Webb in Hook., Niger Fl. 178. 1849 (as cordafana); Chakrab. & N.P.Balakr. in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot.
32: 602. 2008.
Guj.: Khajavani-vel, Khajoti.
Twining or climbing undershrubs, 1 - 3 m high; stems sparsely and finely hispid-puberulous. Leaves 3 (- 5)-lobed up to the middle or to the base, chartaceous, finely pubescent beneath; middle lobe broadly elliptic-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, narrowly cordate at base, dentate-serrate along margins, acuminate at apex, 6 - 9 x 1 - 4 cm; lateral lobes oblong-lanceolate, obliquely subcordate at base, serrate along margins, acuminate, 2 - 6.5 x 1 - 2 cm; petioles 2 - 6 (- 9) cm long; stipules lanceolate to subulate, 2 - 5 x 1 - 1.5 mm; stipels caducous. Inflorescences bisexual, terminal or apparently axillary, head-like pleiochasium of cymules, consisting of 3 female flowers and many male flowers enclosed in a separate involucre on long peduncles. Male flowers: pedicels 2 – 3 mm long; involucel 2-lipped, 2 - 3.5 mm long, with fleshy broad scales of deformed flowers; calyx 3 - 5-partite, becoming reflexed; stamens 8 - 12; filaments connate into a short column, free above; anthers didymous. Female flowers: sessile or with up to 1 mm long pedicels; calyx unequally pinnatifid into 8 – 12 lobes, each lobe with a knob-like gland at tip, enlarging in fruit; ovary hispidulous; style 4 - 6 mm long; stigma peltate, ca 1 mm long. Fruits 3-loculed, 7 - 9 mm across, puberulous, brown; calyx 9 - 11 mm long with gland-tipped lobes and bristles; seeds globose, ca 3 mm across.
Fl. July - Sept.; Fr. Aug. - Oct.
Distrib. India: Riversides, ravines and along railway lines, usually in rocky habitats, at low altitudes, usually seen in monsoon season. Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Tropical Africa, Arabia and Pakistan.
Twining or climbing undershrubs, 1 - 3 m high; stems sparsely and finely hispid-puberulous. Leaves 3 (- 5)-lobed up to the middle or to the base, chartaceous, finely pubescent beneath; middle lobe broadly elliptic-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, narrowly cordate at base, dentate-serrate along margins, acuminate at apex, 6 - 9 x 1 - 4 cm; lateral lobes oblong-lanceolate, obliquely subcordate at base, serrate along margins, acuminate, 2 - 6.5 x 1 - 2 cm; petioles 2 - 6 (- 9) cm long; stipules lanceolate to subulate, 2 - 5 x 1 - 1.5 mm; stipels caducous. Inflorescences bisexual, terminal or apparently axillary, head-like pleiochasium of cymules, consisting of 3 female flowers and many male flowers enclosed in a separate involucre on long peduncles. Male flowers: pedicels 2 – 3 mm long; involucel 2-lipped, 2 - 3.5 mm long, with fleshy broad scales of deformed flowers; calyx 3 - 5-partite, becoming reflexed; stamens 8 - 12; filaments connate into a short column, free above; anthers didymous. Female flowers: sessile or with up to 1 mm long pedicels; calyx unequally pinnatifid into 8 – 12 lobes, each lobe with a knob-like gland at tip, enlarging in fruit; ovary hispidulous; style 4 - 6 mm long; stigma peltate, ca 1 mm long. Fruits 3-loculed, 7 - 9 mm across, puberulous, brown; calyx 9 - 11 mm long with gland-tipped lobes and bristles; seeds globose, ca 3 mm across.
Fl. July - Sept.; Fr. Aug. - Oct.
Distrib. India: Riversides, ravines and along railway lines, usually in rocky habitats, at low altitudes, usually seen in monsoon season. Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Tropical Africa, Arabia and Pakistan.
