Fabaceae » Derris trifoliata



commonly known as: common derris • Bengali: পান লতা panlata • Hindi: पान लता panlata • Marathi: करंज वेल karanj vel • Oriya: kelia • Sanskrit: अङ्गार वल्ली angaar valli • Telugu: అంగారవల్లి angarvalli, నల్ల తీగ nalla tiga

near Chenna creek, Thane, Maharashtra

Dinesh, my first reaction on seeing the picture was, this should be Pongam Tree! Not surprisingly, the marathi name is Karanj Vel - Pongam tree being called Karanj.
Nice shot.

Thank you very much, Tabish.
I was waiting to get to this twiner - the day I had identified pongam tree!!

I think my doubt on pongam tree was this only!...good identification dinesh!...now u know why i was worried about one of my pics not being pongam tree? ...i still have doubts on these
http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=9601755%40N05&q=pongam&m=text
are they all pongam trees ?  

--Last edited by shaista on 2007-11-14 16:09:11 --

Shaista, every time I see your "Not Pongam" plant photos, first thought that comes to my mind is: "It looks so much like Pongam tree ... that it has got to be".

But I will not stress much ... since you feel it otherwise. Perhaps I do not see some difference that you see.

It is Derris trifoliata. We have these climbers growing in Virar in marshes. I collected some seeds & have successfully grown 2 plants. This is an ideal climber for growing in coastal areas, as it is resitant to salty breeze & saline soil. By the way Pongam tree, I believe, is now called Derris indica.

Nandan, great to hear that you are growing Karanj vel - maybe we should add this information to the site.
Thanks a lot for the information on the name Derris indica. However, my favourite source GRIN indicates that the current name is Millettia pinnata. Although the name Derris indica was published in 1971 (which is later than Pongamia pinnata, 1899), the name Milletia pinnata was published in 1989.
These name changes are so confusing.

 I m confused here...but nandan, did you mention that the link that i wrote in the last msg is derris trifoliata?