Asclepiadaceae » Heterostemma tanjorense


... this red-centered flower at Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra.

... click on photo for more views.

No common names found

Just for interest, yellow-centered flower at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai



Many thanks to Tabish and Navendu for validating identification.

Dinesh, could Heterostemma, coming from Heteros=variable and Stemma=crown, mean that the crown (ring) can vary in color? What do u think?

Beautiful perception, Tabish.
It very well could be, and I wish it must be. That takes care of different coloured centres (crown).

Pronunciations/meanings compiled from WWW:
het-er-oh-STEM-uh -- from the Greek heteros (different) and stemma (garland, crown)
tan-jo-REN-see -- of or from Tanjore (present Thanjavur), India

You see, stemma could also mean garland ... almost meaning different coloured petals ... may even take care of the pale-pink flowered variety !!  

--Last edited by dinesh valke on 2008-02-11 21:20:03 --

I am pretty sure that stemma stems from the central crown. For example in Holostemma ada-kodien, Holos means undivided, and the flower has an undivided central crown.
Hmm.... lets chew on that. By the way, the flower is up on the site.  

--Last edited by tabish on 2008-02-11 21:35:41 --

Thanks very much, Tabish.