Family: Apocynaceae

Common Name: हळद कुंकू

Etymology - Genus: Named for Asklepios, the god of healing in Greek mythology.

Etymology - Species: Of or from Curacao

Ecosystem: Annual

Origin: Native

Location: Pune

Description: Small size shrub, grows vigorously along river bank. Host to butterfly species, Oriental Plain Tiger. All parts contain white latex.Lanceolate leaf arranged opposite to each other.Individual flowers are arranged in umbel type of inflorescence - flowers appear to be arising from a single point and forming a shape like an umbrella.Flowers are very attractive with bright scarlet red petals and yellow arrangement of stamen & stigma.The fruit is a follicle, two cylindrical pods connected at the base.Fruit breaks open on maturity exposing numerous seeds with long, silky, parachute like hairs. Seeds disperse over wind.

Root type: Taproot

Stem Appearance: Shrub

Stem Cross Section: Circular

Stem Texture:

Root-Stem-Bark Description: Small size shrub, grows vigorously along river bank. Host to butterfly species, Oriental Plain Tiger. All parts contain white latex.

Leaf - Characters

Attachment: Petiolate

Stipules: Exstipulate

Leaf Type: Simple

Phyllotaxy: Opposite-Decussate

Leaf Description: Lanceolate leaf arranged opposite to each other.

Leaflet - Characters

Lamina: Lanceolate

Lamina Bases: Acute

Lamina Margins: Entire

Lamina Apices: Acute

Lamina Texture: Glabrous

Venation: Reticulate-Unicostate

Leaflet Description:

Fruit type: Follicle

Fruit type Description: The fruit is a follicle, two cylindrical pods connected at the base.

Seed Type: Dicotyledon

Germination type: Epigeal

Dispersion Method: Wind

Preprocessing for germination:

Germination time:

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Seed Description: Fruit breaks open on maturity exposing numerous seeds with long, silky, parachute like hairs. Seeds disperse over wind.