Fabaceae » Derris heyneana


... only these two views

commonly known as: <i>no common name in English</i> • Marathi: gharvel

at Kharghar Hills, Navi Mumbai


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I am sure this to be Derris heyneana referenced from FFOS; however please review.
The funny part of finding information about this species was that there is practically nothing discussed on WWW.

I am not sure of the pronunciation of the Marathi name gharvel (stated in FFOS).
(There is a name garvel गारवेल, which literally means cool (pleasing to eye) climber; this is the common name for railway glory (Ipomoea cairica)

In FOS, Ingalhalikar had included a list of names in Marathi scrïpt; it is missing in FFOS.

Dinesh, is this a creeper? Flowers look just like Pongamia pinnata.

Well, I thought so. The thicket was huge to make out who is creeping on which plant.

This particular plant, must have reached a height of about 3 m, the main stem did not seem like a trunk compared to the height reached; branches carrying the flowers were drooping or dangling.

Please keep this abeyance; I will go there once again next Saturday.

Dinesh, I think your observation right. My reference describes D. heyneana as:
Climbing shrub, glabrous or slightly clothed with reddish  tomentum: leaflets 5-7, ovate or  oval-oblong, obtusely acuminated: panicles large, drooping: legume thickish, strongly
reticulated, linear-oblong,  2-3-seeded, winged: flowers small, pale-pink.
Your observation agrees with it being a climbing shrub, as also that flower panicles are drooping.
Also, you have not left many more Derris species to choose from!
I think Ingalhalikar did not realize how useful his readers found the Devanagri scrïpt names. Or maybe, like us, he could not find the pronunciation of lots of names, so decided to leave it out.  

--Last edited by tabish on 2008-07-13 17:47:51 --

Thank you very much, Tabish.
Derris canariensis is left out yet. The season is February.

The fruit is certainly no-miss identifier - will keep a check on that.