Nectar & Host Plants;
 
 

Nectar Plant List: Attaching herewith list of Nectar Plants, compiled from various sources.

By Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

 

Adenostemma lavenia 
These
plants are shrubs. >>Adenostemma lavenia Is an evergreen.

 

Ageratum
conyzoides

L.  Asteraceae IT is an erect, herbaceous
annual 30 – 80 cm tall

 

Angelonia biflora Benth.  family SCROPHULARIACEAE Perennial herb 40–60 cm.

 




Argyreia elliptica       Oval Leaved Silverweed  Konkani:
Kedari • Marathi: Bondvel, Khedari  Family:
Convolvulaceae  Synonyms: Lettsomia elliptica







Asclepias tuberosa ‘Hello
Yellow’ ….. BUTTERFLY WEED

Flowers
of the brightest yellow make this a must have for all butterfly gardens.
Summer-bloomer and preferred food for butterflies.  
It is commonly known as
Butterfly Weed because of the
butterflies
that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of
nectar.
It is also the
larval food plant of the Queen and Monarch
butterflies.  Buddleia davidii takes all
the glory, but a real soft spot for Butterfly Weed.

 

Aster  Aster
‘Believer’
Intense, dark blue-purple, daisy like flowers in
Fall. Flowers attract butterflies

Aster
‘Days’
Lavender Blue daisy like flowers in Fall. Flowers
attract butterflies

Aster
‘Dragon’
Lovely lavender daisy like flowers with a yellow
center appear in Fall. Flowers attract butterflies

Aster
‘Hazy’
Bright pink daisy like flowers with yellow center
appear in Fall. Flowers attract butterflies

 

Asystasia
gangetica   
Creeping foxglove (Eng.)  
Ornamental plant.  Family: Acanthaceae

Ecological
Significance This is an important plant for
honeybees, butterflies and other insects.  In southern Africa there are at least six species of butterfly that use A. g. micrantha as a larval foodplant.     This
is an attractive, fast-growing, spreading, herbaceous groundcover that grows
300 to 600 mm in height.

 

Bauhinia  Scarlet Bauhinia – Bauhinia
phoenicea
    Family: Caesalpiniaceae

Scarlet
Bauhinia is a very interesting large climbing shrub found in the Western Ghats.

Bee Balm Fragrant
Hummingbird Flowers 
it will provide easy care flowering
beauty and fragrance, plus attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees all
summer. The plant will provide easy care flowering beauty and fragrance, plus
attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

 

Bleeding Heart Vine    Bleeding Glory Bower, Bag Flower  

Clerodendrum thomsoniae    Family: Verbenaceae  




Boerhavia diffusa      Red
Spiderling   Red hogweed, Tar Vine, Wineflower • Hindi: Punarnava   Family: Nyctaginaceae  Synonyms:
Boerhavia repens, Boerhavia coccinea


Red Spiderling is a prostrate herb with very diffuse
inflorescences.





Buddleja Lochinch     Buddleja davidii x fallowiana

A compact
Butterfly Bush.
This variety has dense
mauve flowerheads in early July.

 

Buddleja x weyeriana
‘Honeycomb’
– Butterfly Bush

Buddleja
x weyeriana is a hybrid cross between B. davidii and B. globosa.

 

Firebush
   
Rubiaceae Family   Firebush (Hamelia
patens
) is a showy Florida shrub much beloved of butterflies. The
trumpet shaped bright orange flowers are great attractors for larger butterflies
like Monarch, Sulphurs, Zebra Longwing and even some Swallowtails. Also a
favorite of hummingbirds, placing this shrub in your garden almost guarantees
you some visits from your local wildlife. 
Nectar
Value – outstanding

 

Ixora
chinensis 
A
colourful member of the coffee family.
Ixoras
are much used in the Tropics for hedges. They double as a very useful nectar
source for long-tongued butterflies such as Swallowtails.

 

Coral
Hibiscus          
Latin:
Hibiscus schizopetalus  Origin:
Far East

Coral Hibiscus. This striking flower is an original species of
Hibiscus. It is frequently used as a parent in the modern hybrids. It forms an
arching shrub or small tree and produces flowers throughout the summer. Some of
the larger Swallowtails nectar on this flower as do the Longwing butterflies.

 

Aristolochia
triangularis  
Origin:
Tropical America

Fly pollination. This flower appears to be an insect-eating pitcher
plant but it is in fact adapted to fly pollination. The flower smells of
putrefying flesh which attracts small flies. This plant species is the larval
host plant to several cattleheart swallowtails (
Parides).

 

Aster novae-angliae Origin:
Garden.  One of the best
Asters for butterflies.
This shocking pink Aster
is a favourite of our garden butterflies in the UK. It flowers in September.
  

 

Purple
Loostrife       
Latin:
Lythrum salicaria Origin: Native

One of our most
colourful native flowers.

Purple loosestrife is worthy of a place in any garden. Its natural habitat is
in damp marshy areas. In the wildlife garden it serves as attractant to
butterflies. Brimstones are fond of the flowers in areas where this species is
found.

 

Cardinal Climber Vine Ipomoea sloteri is a hybrid of Ipomoea quamoclit, ‘Cypress Vine,’ and Ipomoea
coccinea
. A synonym for Ipomoea
sloteri
is Ipomoea x multifida.
The scarlet flowers of ‘Cardinal Climber’  attract bees, hummingbirds and
butterflies.   Currently the plant is
more widely known as ‘Cypress Vine’ than as the other acceptable common name.

 

Acalypha
hispida
  Chenille is a flowering shrub which belongs to the family
Euphorbiaceae, the subfamily Acalyphinae, and the genus Acalypha. This plant is also known as the Philippines Medusa, red
hot cat’s tail and fox tail in
English

 

Cirsium
arvense  
Asteraceae  A Creeping Thistle with a “cuckoo spit

The
seeds are an important food for
Goldfinch and Linnet, and to a lesser extent for other finches. Creeping Thistle foliage is used
as a food by over 20 species of
Lepidoptera, including the Painted Lady butterfly and the Engrailed, a species of moth, and several species of aphids.

 

Crotalaria retusa 
Rattleweed  Marathi: Gagra Family:
Fabaceae (Pea family)

Rattleweed
is an annual herb with erect stem, growing up to 1.3 m tall. A cheerful plant to grow –
Crotalaria retusa
is
a highly ornamental plant that you can grow in your garden.

 

Crotalaria spectabulis 
Family: Fabaceae It is
an annual herb with erect stem, growing up to 1.3 m tall. A plant that attaracts tigers, crows in
hundreds.

 

THE CUPHEA Cuphea platycentr   Cuphea silenoides is a good half-hardy
annual, blooming from July to Sept.   
Cuphea miniata is an annual or
perennial, at the will of the cultivator.   Cuphea lanceolata is a vigorous plant of
erect habit, with conspicuous and beautiful purple flowers.   Cuphea jorullensis is probably the finest
species known. The flowers are scarlet, tipped with yellow.   Cuphea purpurea, a pretty hardy annual, with
bluish or pale purple flowers.   Cuphea
cinnabarina may be grown to a fine specimen form as a greenhouse plant. Cuphea
verticillata is a nearly hardy species of moderate growth, the flower tube
yellowish-red.

 

Erysimum
Bowles Purple    
Latin:
Erysimum   One of the longest flowering seasons. It
is an excellent nectar source for early and late season butterflies like this
Red Admiral above. It is especially favoured by the Whites, although they don’t
use it as a caterpillar plant.
Attractive to butterflies.

 

 

Odontonema
strictum    F
irespike, cardinal guard, scarlet
flame  Family: Acanthaceae

Description Firespike is a showy evergreen
shrub with sparse, stiff branches that grow mostly straight up to about 6 ft
(1.8 m) tall. Firespike is a must-have for southern butterfly and hummingbird
gardens.

It one of the few red tubular flowers popular with hummingbirds
and all kinds of butterflies.

 

Clerodendrum quadriloculare  Shooting Star  FAMILY : Verbenaceae     

 

Ageratum
houstonianum

( Blue Floss Flower ) – Perennial Ageratum – Nectar Plant




Ageratum houstonianum is like ‘chocolate cake’ for
Monarch butterflies. Same goes for the Monarch’s close relative, the
Lesser
Wanderer (Danaus chrysippus)
. It is a fantastic nectar plant for butterflies, and they
will find it if you plant it. Ageratum has very attractive sky blue flowers
and really brightens up the garden. Some days, the Monarchs just can’t stay
off it!
An excellent plant that is irresistible to
butterflies.



 

Gayfeather,
Liatris spicata  Is an interesting
perennial perennial produces a 1-3 foot tall spike of bright purplish-pink or
white flowers in late June to early fall. It is an ideal plant to grow in your
butterfly garden.  
 




Gnidia glauca    Fish Poison Bush   
Marathi: Rameta  Family: Thymelaeaceae


Fish Poison Bush is a large shrub or a small tree, 2-3 m
tall. Flowering: November-January.




Heliotropium indicum            Indian Heliotrope / Indian turnsole,
Wild clary • Marathi: Bhurundi Konkani: Ajeru  Family: Boraginaceae
Indian
Heliotrope is a herb. The butterflies from the Tiger family like
this flower as it contains a
chemical used by the butterfly to produce phermones needed to attract a mate. 
Danaid butterflies like
to visit these plants. One reason is to drink the sap which renders the
butterflies
noxious
to
predators.
Some
species
collect
olfactory compounds to produce a
kind of “perfume” to attract mates.
Caterpillars
of the
Grass Jewel (Freyeria trochylus), a gossamer-winged butterfly,
feed on
H. strigosum.

Several heliotropes are popular
garden plants, most notably
Garden
Heliotrope
(H.
arborescens
).

 

Impatiens – Balsam –  These are hardy and tender annual and perennial herbs.
The flowers are visited by
bumblebees
and certain Lepidoptera, such as the
Common Spotted Flat.

 

Korean
Mint             
Latin:
Agastache rugosa One of the
best mints for the butterfly garden.
This is an
excellent nectar plant for our native butterflies and bees. It flowers from
July till November. In colder climates, it is best to treat this as an annual
and collect the seed each year.
Highly attractive to butterflies, bees
& birds.

 

Lantana
camara
 a magnet for butterflies, bees and birds.
Images above show the
Peacock Pansy that simply adore our L. camara ‘Patriot Hot Country’. The
Lantana plant is a must-have in any garden, if you love kaleidoscopic colors
and want these nature visitors to your garden.

 

Lavender         Family :- Lamiaceae

 
The most common “true” species in cultivation is the common
lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
(formerly L. officinalis). A
wide range of
cultivars
can be found. Other commonly grown ornamental species are
L. stoechas,
L. dentata, and L. multifida.

 

Leea indica  Bandicoot Berry • Marathi: Karkani Family: Leeaceae   Leea flowers are visited by a variety of insect
pollinators, including flies, wasps, bees, butterflies, and beetles.
This is a native species commonly known
as the Bandicoot Berry. The flowers are actually a source of nectar for some
butterflies.

 

Little
ironweed,
Purple feabane • Marathi: Sadodi Cyanthillium cinereum   
  Family: Asteraceae  Synonyms: Vernonia cinerea, Conyza
cinerea, Senecioides cinerea.  Little
ironweed is an annual or short-lived perennial to 50cm. Found in upland crop
areas, waste places and roadsides throughout India.

 

Marigolds , Indian Flower   Marigold leaves are finely cut, fernlike and
the different type are African, French, Signet and Pot Marigolds.

 

Medicago
sativa 
Family:
Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae) 
Common names Alfalfa.

Description    An herbaceous
perennial
with deeply penetrating
taproot

 

Mexican Flame Vine, Orange Glow Vine confusus     Family: Asteraceae

Mexican
flame vine is a woody tropical vine with the enchanting summertime habit of
covering itself in brilliant daisy-like flowers.
This plant is
attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.

 

Mikania scandens (L.)
Willd. – Climbing Hempweed  Family – Asteraceae

Flowering – July – October.   Habitat – Swampy woods, ditches, fence rows,
pond margins.          

Origin – Native to U.S.  Other info. – This vining species can be found
in the southeast corner of Missouri. The plant is, however, frequently visited
by many different types of flying insects.

 

 

Mussaenda
erythrophylla
     Red Flag Bush  Red Flag Bush

Just
look at that vibrant red flower clusters, how fabulously attractive they are…a
sight for sore eyes, a cheerleader and definitely a traffic stopper! . Attractive
to butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and insect pollinators as a nectar plant.
 
Mussaenda erythrophylla (Ashanti Blood, Red Flag
Bush, Tropical Dogwood)

Mussaenda
frondosa
                Family: Rubiaceae

Origin:
Indo-China to Malaysia This is a rounded evergreen tropical shrub or sub-shrub
that will grow to 10ft tall in tropical areas, but more likely will reach 1-3ft
tall in containers.

 

Pentas  Latin: Pentas lanceolata – “Butterfly pink’  Family: Rubiaceae         Origin: Africa

Top buterfly
nectar plant.
This flower is one of
the top nectar plants for tropical butterflies. It flowers all year round if
given sufficient light.
The Butterfly Deep Pink Penta,
‘Penta lanceolata’ is a unique and very hardy plant that can be grown at any
light level.

 

Jatropha
integerrima
 
Common Names:
Peregrina, Spicy Jatropha  Family: Euphorbiaceae

Description Peregrina is an evergreen shrub or small tree with glossy
leaves and clusters of star shaped bright scarlet or vermilion flowers. It
attracts butterflies and hummingbirds as well as rave reviews from passersby.

 

Peristrophe
– Marble Leaf  These frost-tender
perennials are natives to India.

Mountain
Peristrophe  Peristrophe montana  Family: Acanthaceae  is a hairless erect herb, growing to 1 m
tall.

Common name: Panicled Peristrophe • Hindi: Atrilal, Peristrophe
paniculata
    Family:
Acanthaceae

 Synonyms:
Dianthera paniculata, Peristrophe bicalyculata 
Panicled Peristrophe is an erect herb, 0.6-1.2 m tall.

Common name: Peristrophe, Magenta plant, Kakajangha  Peristrophe roxburghiana   
 

Synonyms: Peristrophe tinctoria 
This perennial plant is native to India.

 

Persicaria (Polygonum)                      (pol-e-go-num’)

Common
name:

Knotweed, Smartweed, European Bistort, Fleeceflower, Silver Lace Vine

Family:
Polygonaceae, Knotweed                  Height x width: 9-24″ x
12-24″

 

Petunia   :
is a widely-cultivated
genus
of
flowering plants
of
South American
origin. Most of the varieties seen in gardens are
hybrids
(Petunia × hybrida).  
P.
axillaris
P. integrifolia  P. axillaris   The foliage of Petunias is sometimes
eaten by the
larvae of some Lepidoptera
species including
Dot Moth and Hummingbird hawk moth.

 




Blue Porterweed – Blue snakeweed, Brazilian tea,
Jamaica vervain, Joee,


Botanical name: Stachytarpheta jamaicensis      Family:
Verbenaceae (Verbena family)


Blue porterweed is a low, sprawling shrub with a subtle
beauty. Leaves of blue porterweed are eaten by Tropical Buckeye caterpillars.
An extremely popular nectar source with a wide variety of butterflies
including the Gulf Fritillary, Julia, and Large Orange Sulphur gives blue
porterweed a nectar rating of 3.




 

 

Princess Flower ,  glory bush, purple glory bush

Botanical name: Tibouchina urvilleana    Family: Melastomataceae
(Melastome family)

Synonyms: Tibouchina maudhiana, Tibouchina semidecandra, Lasiandra
semidecandra

Princess
Flower is an evergreen shrub bearing big beautiful bluish purple flowers.

 

Purple
Coneflower
     Echinacea purpurea (Asteraceae)

A
robust, drought tolerant perennial, native to the midwestern and southeastern
United States.

 

Rauvolfia
serpentine
  Scientific Name: Rauvolfia
serpentina
(L.) Benth. ex Kurz. (Syn. Ophioxylon sepentinum
L.)  Family: Apocynaceae 

 

Salvia
coccinea
   Common Names:
scarlet sage, Texas sage, salvia

 Family: Lamiaceae/Labiatae   This American mint is especially desirable in
natural area gardens where it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds and
maintains itself year after year without dominating or becoming invasive. Most
are tough and durable and most are attractive to butterflies and many to
hummingbirds as well. Some of our favorites are the blue anise sage (
Salvia
guaranitica
), pineapple sage (S. elegans)
and autumn sage (
S.
greggii
) all of which bloom over a long period
and happen to be real
hummingbird
magnets
.

 

Sesamum
indicum
L. – SESAME SEED. 
Synonyms Sesamum africanum,
Sesamum brasiliense, Sesamum luteum, Sesamum malabaricum.  Family
Pedaliaceae It is an erect tropical annual, original from Africa. 
Sesame is used as a food plant by the
larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the Turnip Moth.

 

Sweet
Pea
Lathyrus
odoratu 
Overview/Description:         Annual climbers bearing clusters of flowers in a wide
variety of colors including red, pink, blue, white and lavender.  
The
legume
Sesbania bispinosa, also known as Sesbania aculeata (
Willd.)
Pers. 1807, is a small tree in the genus
Sesbania.  Names  It is known by
many common names, including danchi, dunchi, dhaincha, canicha,
prickly sesban, or spiny sesbania.

 

Silk
Leaf

    Common name: Silk Leaf, Acuate, American softhead •
Marathi:
झरवड

Botanical name:
Lagascea mollis    Family: Asteraceae  Silk Leaf is an annual herb, 50-100 cm tall.
Silk Leaf is native to the Americas, and naturalized in India. Flowering:
August-March.

 

Thryallis Galphimia glauca     Family:
Malpighiaceae Thryallis is a small evergreen tropical shrub that grows
to a maximum height of about 6 ft.  Propagation:
By seeds. Also by cuttings taken in the summertime.

 




Tridax
procumbens 
It
is a species of flowering plant in the
daisy
family
. It is best known as a widespread weed
and pest plant. It is native to the tropical Americas but it has been
introduced to tropical, subtropical, and mild temperate regions worldwide.    The plant bears
daisylike yellow-centered white or yellow flowers with three-toothed ray
florets.




Turk’s
Cap, Drummond Wax-mallow, Texas Mallow, Mexican Apple   
Malvaviscus drummondii (M. arboreus
var. drummondii)
       Family :- Malvaceae  Flowers are excellent for attracting
hummingbirds and butterflies. Attracts pollinators like bumblebees and
hummingbirds.

 

Verbena Graceful clusters of
bright flowers attract gardeners and butterflies equally.

Verbena
bonariensis
Origin: South America A top butterfly flower. This is one of
the best butterfly plants

 

Zinnia  This is a plant that is started incredibly
easily from seed, flowers very quickly, has a wide range of flower types and
colors, withstands full sun and heat, makes an excellent cut flower, attracts
bees and butterflies

Zinnias seem especially favored by butterflies,
and many gardeners add zinnias specifically to attract them.  Zinnia haageana
:
Mexican zinnia is an upright, bushy annual that is similar to common
zinnia (
Z. elegans).

 

Bharangi Clerodendrum
serratum
  The Sanskrit work
bharngi literally means that which is glorious. Bharngi grows throughout India
upto 1500 metres height. It grows in Eastern Himalaya, Nepal, Kumao, Bengal and
Bihar, in abundance. It is a perennial shrub, growing 0.3-3.0 metres in height.

 

Bidens
  is a
genus
flowering plants
in the
family Asteraceae.
  
Nodding Beggarticks
(
B. cernua)
and Hairy Beggarticks are useful as
honey
plants
. Several Bidens species are used as food by the caterpillars
of certain
Lepidoptera, such as the noctuid
moth

Hypercompe
hambletoni
and the Painted
Lady

(Vanessa cardui, a
brush-footed butterfly).
  
Common name: Beggar Tick, Spanish needle,
Cobbler’s pegs Botanical name:
Bidens pilosa    Family:
Asteraceae
An erect annual or perennial herb with branching
habit to about 1m high.

 

Buddleja
davidii

  
Butterfly bush,
buddleia, summer lilac   Family:
Buddlejaceae

Description  Butterfly bush is a
deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub with a weeping form that can get 6-12 ft  tall and have a spread of 4-15 ft  Buddleja davidii, the butterfly bush,
is native to northwestern China and Japan.

Butterfly bush is very easy to root
from cuttings in warm weather.    Plant
alongside pentas (
Pentas
lanceolata
), lantana (Lantana camara)
and zinnias
Zinnia
elegans
) for non-stop butterfly activity, and find a place
nearby for parsley (
Petroselinum
crispum
), passion vine (Passiflora incarnata)
and other butterfly larval food plants. Butterfly bush is one of the most
attractive plants to butterflies; the white varieties may be most attractive of
all. The fragrant flowers, gray-green leaves and constant motion of winged
insects are a delight in any landscape. This is a fast-growing shrub that
requires little care. No garden should be without this beauty!

 

Caesalpinia
spicata
 
Candy Corn
Plant • Marathi: Wagati, Wakeri Botanical
name:
Moullava spicata    Family: Caesalpiniaceae Synonyms:
Wagatea spicata.

Candy
Corn Plant is a large, robust climber, growing to 5-20 m long.

 

Cape
Honeysuckle
  Tecomaria
capensis      Family:
Bignoniaceae

Cape honeysuckle is a fast growing,
scrambling shrub which may grow up to 2-3m high and spread more than 2.5m.  It is often planted specifically to attract
birds and butterflies. The Cape Honeysuckle is an excellent plant to use in a
wildlife
garden
in Southern Africa, since it is popular with sunbirds
due to its nectar. As a scrambler, it can be quite dense (if pruned) and as
such can be utilised as a nesting site by a few bird species.

The larvae
of the Death’s Head Hawkmoth (
Acherontia atropos)
and the Fulvous Hawkmoth (
Coelonia mauritii)
eat the leaves of this plant.

 

Chromolaena
odorata
  Asteraceae   Other Latin names:  Eupatorium odoratum L

Common
name(s): 
Bitter
bush, Christmasbush, chromolaena, devilweed, hagonoy, Jack in the bush, Siam
weed, triffid weed .  Big bushy herb
or subshrub.

 

Clerodendrum
paniculatum
Common Names:
pagoda flower  Family: Verbenaceae

Description  Pagoda flower is an
erect, open semi woody shrub with large evergreen leaves. Pagoda flower
is native to India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and much of southeastern Asia.

 

Cosmos sulphureus Common name: Orange cosmos, Yellow cosmos  

Family: Asteraceae  The
orange cosmos is becoming increasingly popular for its ease of growth,
spectacular flowers and attractiveness to butterflies. It is native to
Mexico. 





The flowers of all Cosmos attract
birds and butterflies, including the
Monarch
butterfly
. Cosmos sulphureus is featured in the 1997 Japanese
film
Remembering the Cosmos
Flower
.

Crossandra Plant   Like all tropical flowering plants,
crossandra likes full sun. 

Growing from seeds is an easy way
for this plant.

 

Ixora
coccinea
  Rubiaceae 
Flame of the Woods, Jungle Flame, Jungle Geranium

Flowing
in rainy season, flower colour – Red, White, Pink, yellow  Ixora is a common flowering
shrub said to be a native of Asia. There
are about 400 species of Ixora and its
flowers look delightful.

 

Jasminum
– Jasmine  These are tropical,
sub-tropical and hardy, deciduous and evergreen shrubs or climbing plants.  

VARIETIES: For a warm greenhouse – J. gracillimum
(white, fragrant); J. officinale var. grandiflorum (white marked w/ rose,
fragrant); J. Sambac (white, fragrant); J. Rex (large, white); J. fruticans
(yellow/shrub); J. Parkeri (yellow/ dwarf bush) For a cool greenhouse
J. Mesnyi (large, semi-double, yellow); J. nudiflorum (yellow/climbing); J.
Beesianum (rose colored); J. floridum (yellow/evergreen bush); J. humile
(yellow); J. officinale (white, fragrant/climbing); J. stephanense (pink).

 

Cirsium arvensis  is a species of Cirsium,
native throughout
Europe
and northern
Asia,
and widely
introduced
elsewhere. The standard English name in its native area is Creeping Thistle.  It is a
herbaceous
perennial plant
growing 30–100 cm, forming extensive
clonal
colonies
from an underground root
system that sends up numerous erect stems each spring, reaching 1–1.2 m tall

 

Bridelia retusa
-One of favorite plant for butterflies, pierrot, Jezebel, emigrant, banded awl
and many other insects often visit this tree. approx 2-3 m high.

Common name: Spinous Kino Tree •
Hindi: kaji, Khaja, kassi • Marathi: asana • Sanskrit:
आसन
asana, ekavira
Botanical name: Bridelia retusa Family: Euphorbiaceae (Castor family)

 

 

Helicteres
 isora
   
East-Indian screw tree, Nut-leaved
screw tree  
Hindi:
Maror phali •
Marathi: Murud sheng • Sanskrit: Mriga Shringa • Kannada:
Yedmuri •
Telugu: Valambiri • Tamil: Vadampiri • Bengali:
Antamora  Family:
Sterculiaceae (Cacao family)

East-Indian screw tree is a sub-deciduous shrub or small
tree with grey coloured bark. Leaves simple, serrate margin, scabrous above and
pubescent beneath. Flowers solitary or in sparse clusters, with red petals
turning pale blue when old. Fruits greenish brown, beaked, cylindrical,
spirally twisted on ripening. The twisted shape of the fruit is what lends most
of it names like screw tree and maror phali.

 

Eusteralis Quadrifolia (Dysophylla quadrifolia) 
 GANDHATULASI
Botanical name : Eusteralis quadrifolia (Benth.) Panigrahi    Family : Lamiaceae

SANSKRIT Gandhasurasa, Gandhatulasi.  English : Peacock’s tail  Hindi : Gandh tulsi.  Malayalam : Kattutumba, Nattatulasi,
Nattapoochedi.

Distribution – Throughout India, grown naturally in
wastelands.
DESCRIPTION  A small annual or perennial
aromatic herb grows up to 1 meter in height. Leaves opposite, rarely whorled or
alternate, simple to pinnately dissected or compound, without stipules.
Inflorescences generally compound, terminal, sometimes flowers solitary and
Fruit usually dry nutlets. Seeds small and many.
 


By Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com


Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 1

Adenia hondala Modecca
palmata Lam
Adenia palmata (Lam.) Engl. In Maharashtra,

reported only from Nanapani (Amboli) and Bhedsi. It is seen almost
throughout the Western

Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Butterfly :- Twany Coster, Tamil
Lacewing, Cruiser, Clipper

Aegle marmelos Common
name: Bel, Beli fruit, Bengal quince, Stone apple, Wood apple

Butterfly :- Common Mormon, Lime

Annona squamosa Common
name: Sugar Apple, Custard apple Family: Annonaceae.

Butterfly :- Tailed Jay

Annona reticulata Netted
Custard Apple Synonyms: A. humboldtiana, A. humboldtii

Butterfly :- Tailed Jay

Alseodaphne semicarpifolia Marathi:
phudgus Family: Lauraceae

Butterfly :- Common Blue Bottle,
Common Mime

Abrus precatorius L. Common
name Rosary pea, crab’s eye, jequerite, precatory bean,

weesboontje, paternoster bean, deadly crab’s eye, wild liquorice,
ruti, jequirity bean, , Gunj.

Butterfly :- Common Cerulean

Artabotrys hexapetalus Hirva
chapha Synonyms: Annona hexapetala, Artabotrys

odoratissimus

Butterfly :- Tailed Jay

Aristolochia tagala Occur
Himalaya to Sri Lanka through Myanmar, Indon-esia, Indochina,

China, Thailand to the whole of Malesia, the Solomon Islands and
Queensland in Australia.

Butterfly :- Common Rose, Southern
Birdwing

Aristolochia indica Indian
Birthwort It is a native of India and Eastward.

Butterfly :- Common Rose, Crimson
Rose, Southern Birdwing

Aristolochia bracteolata,
Worm killer, Kidamari It is a plant common in India

Butterfly :- Common Rose, Crimson
Rose

Asclepias curassavica Location
Scarlet milkweed is native to South America but has become

a naturalized weed in tropical and subtropical pastures, fields
and disturbed areas throughout

the world.

Butterfly :-Blue Tiger, Striped
Tiger, Plain Tiger, Common Crow

 

Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 2

Asystasia lawiana Synonyms:
Ruellia mysurensis. Common name: Mysore Asystasia

Botanical name: Asystasia mysurensis Family: Acanthaceae

Butterfly :- Danaid Eggfly

Atalantia wightii -Nilgiri
Atalantia , Wild Orange Family: Rutaceae Synonyms: A. ceylanica

Butterfly :- Blue Mormon, Lime
Blue

Bauhinia racemosa Bidi Leaf
Tree • Marathi: apta, sona Bauhinia racemosa is a herb

common in India It is found in many parts of Asia like Myanmar,
Srilanka, Thailand,

Vietnam.

Butterfly :- Common Emigrant

Barleria cristata Philippine
Violet Acanthaceae Barleria cristata is native to India and

southeast Asia.

Butterfly :- Danaid Eggfly

Bombax ceiba Shalmali
, Silk Cotton Tree. Family: Bombacaceae

It is found in India, Burma and Sri Lanka. It grows throughout the
hotter parts of India,

Butterfly :- Common Sailer

Butea monosperma Dhak or
palas (Butea frondosais), is a medium-sized deciduous tree. The

family is Leguminosae-Papilioneae. This tree is also called ‘Flame
of the Forest’.

Butterfly :- Common Emigrant, Gram
Blue, Pea Blue, Common Cerulean

Cadaba fruticosa Indian
Cadaba Synonyms: Cleome fruticosa

Indian Cadaba is commonly distributed and throughout the drier
lowland regions of India.

Butterfly :- Small Orange Tip,
White Orange Tip, Common Gull, Pioneer, Common

Wanderer

Calotropis gigantea Crown
flower is a species of Calotropis, native to Indonesia, Malaysia,

Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and China.

Butterfly :- Plain Tiger, Glassy
Tiger

Capparis deciduas Synonym(s)
Capparis aphylla (Heyne) Roth. Capparis sodata R. Br.

Sodada decidua Forssk. Native : Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, India,
Iran, Jordan, Niger, Nigeria,

Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan

Butterfly :- White Orange Tip, Common
Gull, Pioneer

 

Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 3

Capparis monii Common
name: Large Caper • Marathi: Waghati Family: Capparaceae

Butterfly :- Great Orange Tip,
Lesser Gull

Capparis rheedii Rheed’s
Caper Family: Capparaceae It is endemic to the Western Ghats.

Butterfly :- Common Wanderer,
Lesser Gull, Pioneer

Capparis zeylanica Indian
caper Ceylon caper • Konkani: Govindphal • Marathi: Govindi

Butterfly :- Great Orange Tip,
Common Wanderer, Common Gull, Pioneer

Senna auriculata Cassia
auriculata L) Tanner’s Cassia

Butterfly :- Common Emigrant

Cassia fistula Amaltas

Butterfly :- Common Grass Yellow,
Common Emigrant, Mottled Emigrant

Senna obtusifolia (Cassia
obtusifolia)

Butterfly :- Common Grass Yellow

Senna tora (L.)
Roxb. – CAESALPINIACEAE – Dicotyledon

Butterfly :- Common Emigrant,
Mottled Emigrant

Ceropegia bulbosa Distribution:
Bangladesh Ethiopia

Butterfly :- Striped Tiger, Plain
Tiger, Glassy Tiger

Ceropegia media Medium
Ceropegia is found at higher elevations in the Western Ghats.

Butterfly :- Striped Tiger, Plain
Tiger, Glassy Tiger

Cinnamomum camphora Common
Names ; camphor tree, Family :- Lauraceae

Location , It comes from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and adjacent
parts of East Asia.

Butterfly :- Common Blue Bottle,
Tailed Jay, Common Mime

Cinnamomum macrocarpum Family :-
LAURACEAE Sanskrit :- Tamalapatra Threat

status: Vulnerable (A 1 c,d) – Globally Distribution: Endemic to
Western Ghats of southern

India. In Karnataka, occurs in dense wet forests of Belgaum,
Goorg, Hassan, Kolar, Uttara

Kannada, Shimoga and Chikmagalur districts. In Kerala, fairly
common in Palakkad, Idukki,

Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram forests. In Tamil Nadu,
common in the Western

Ghats of Coimbatore, Nilgiri, Tirunelveli and Madurai districts.

Butterfly :- Common Blue Bottle,
Common Jay, Tailed Jay, Common Mime

 

Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 4

Cinnamomum Malabathrum Also
known as Malobathrum or Malabar leaf, is the name used

in classical and medieval texts for the leaf of the plant
Cinnamomum tamala (sometimes given

as Cinnamomum tejpata) Origin – South slopes of the Himalayas.

Butterfly :- Common Blue Bottle,
Tailed Jay

Citrus hystrix The
kaffir lime (Citrus hystrix DC., Rutaceae), also known as kieffer lime,

limau purut or makrut lime is a lime native to Laos, Indonesia,
Malaysia and Thailand, used in

Southeast Asian cuisine.

Butterfly :- Lime

Citrus maxima or Citrus
grandis The pomelo is a citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia.

Butterfly :- Blue Mormon, Lime,
Common Mormon

Citrus aurantifolia Key lime
is native to Southeast Asia. Its apparent path of

introduction was through the Middle East to North Africa.

Butterfly :-Lime, Common Mormon

Citrus limon Lemon The
true home of the lemon is unknown, though some have linked it to

northwestern India.

Butterfly :- Common Mormon, Blue
Mormon, Lime, Red Helen

Citrus sinensis Citrus
sinensis Sweet Orange Family Rutaceae Physical Characteristics

Original range is obscure, possible Asia in southern China and
Vietnam

Butterfly :- Lime, Common Mormon

Dendrophthoe falcate Honey
Suckle Mistletoe •
Marathi: Vanda

Family: Loranthaceae Synonyms: Loranthus longiflorus var. falcatus, Loranthus falcatus,

Loranthus longiflorus

Butterfly :- Common Jezebel

Flacourtia indica Synonyms: Flacourtia ramontchi, Flacourtia
sepiaria, Gmelina indica

The Governor’s Plum Flacourtia
indica
is a large shrub or small tree
native to tropical Africa

and Asia.

Butterfly :- Common Leopard,
Rustic

Flacourtia Montana Mountain
Sweet Thorn •
Marathi: Raan-tambut • Konkani: ___ atak

Botanical name: Flacourtia
montana
Family: Flacourtiaceae (Coffee
Plum family)

Mountain Sweet Thorn is a tree up to 8 m tall, endemic to the
Western Ghats.

Butterfly :- Common Leopard,
Rustic

 

Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 5

Glycosmis arborea Family :
Rutaceae Hindi : Potali, Girgiti Throughout India growing wild

in dense forests.

Butterfly :- Common Mormon, Red
Helen, Blue Mormon, Lime

Hygrophila auriculata Botanical
Name : Asteracantha longifolia, Hygrophila auriculata

Butterfly :- All Pansy

Kalanchoe laciniata An erect
simple herb to nearly 2 m high recorded from S Nigeria and

the W Cameroons mountains. Indigenous to tropical Africa but now
widespread throughout

the Tropics.

Butterfly :- Red Pierrot

Kalanchoe pinnata syn. Bryophyllum calycinum, Bryophyllum pinnatum

Butterfly :- Red Pierrot

Litsea glutinosa Family:
Lauraceae
Synonym L. chinensis Lamk L. geminata Blume L.

glabraria A.L. Juss. Distribution
From India through Indo-China towards the Malesian.

Butterfly :-

Maerua oblongifolia Distribution
: Sudan and Congo Republics west to Senegal and

Mali, also Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somali Republic to Arabia.
Altitude range 300–1350 m.

Butterfly :- Small Orange Tip,
White Orange Tip, Common Gull, Pioneer

Magnolia grandiflora Family:
Magnoliaceae

Native American tree occurs on
coastal plain of North Carolina, south to central Florida, and

west to east Texas.

Butterfly :- Common Jay

Michelia champaca The tree
is wide spread all over tropical Asia. It is wild in the forests of

the eastern sub Himalayan zone from Nepal eastwards along the
foothills, including West

Bengal and Assam. It is also found in the Western ghats from
Karnataka to Kerala.

Butterfly :- Common Jay, Tailed
Jay

Miliusa tomentosa Syno. Saccopetalum tomentosum (Roxb.)
Hook. F. & Thomson
Uvaria

tomentosa Roxb.

Butterfly :- Common Blue Bottle,
Common Jay, Tailed Jay, Spot Sword Tail

Murraya koenigii (L.)
Spreng. Family: Rutaceae English name: Curry leaf-tree

Butterfly :- Common Mormon, Lime

 

Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 6

Nerium odorum Variety
Cultivar Common names
sweet scented oleander

Butterfly :- Common Crow

Nerium oleander N.
oleander is native to a broad area from
Morocco and Portugal eastward

through the Mediterranean region and southern Asia to Yunnan in southern parts of China.

Butterfly :- Common Crow

Passiflora foetida Common
name:
Stinking passionflower • Marathi: Vel-ghani

Botanical name: Passiflora
foetida
Family: Passifloraceae (passion
flower family)

Butterfly :- Twany Coster

Passiflora subpeltata Family:
Passifloraceae Synonyms: Passiflora alba
Native –

American continents.

Butterfly :- Twany Coster

Pithecellobium dulce – Sweet
and Thorny

This hardy tree is native along coasts from California through
Mexico to South America.

Butterfly :- Common Grass Yellow

Polyalthia longifolia Ashok,
False Ashok, Mast Tree •
Hindi: Ashok • Marathi: Devdar •

Konkani: Asok Family: Annonaceae. Ashok is native to
India and Srilanka.

Butterfly :- Common Blue Bottle,
Common Jay, Tailed Jay, Spot Sword Tail

Portulaca oleracea Purslane •
Botanical name:
Portulaca oleracea Family: Portulacaceae

This common ‘weed’ is native to India.

Butterfly :- Great Eggfly, Danaid
Eggfly

Ricinus Communis Castor
Family Name : Euphorbiaceae

Butterfly :- Common Castor, Angled
Castor, Common Banded Awl

Ruta graveolens Common
Names:
rue, common rue, herb of Grace Family: Rutaceae

Native to southern Europe and
northern Africa.

Butterfly :- Lime

Scurrula parasitica var. graciliflora (Roxburgh ex J. H.
Schultes) H. S. Kiu, Fl. Yunnan.

The plants are parasitic on Bauhinia yunnanensis, Camellia
sinensis var. assamica, Castanea

henryi, Citrus grandis, Prunus armeniaca, P. persica, Punica
granatum, Pyrus pyrifolia, and

Sophora japonica; rarely, they are parasitic on species of Pinus.

Butterfly :- Common Jezebel

 

Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 7

Apama siliquosa Thottea
siliquosa
Lamk, Bragantia wallichii R. Br.
)

Family : Aristolochiaceae SANSKRIT SYNONYMS Chakrani.

Butterfly :- Common Rose, Crimson
Rose, Southern Birdwing

Tylophora indica Indian
Ipecac
Hindi: Antamul
Marathi:
Khadari, Pitthakaadi,

Pitthamaari, Pitvel. Family: Asclepiadaceae Synonyms: Asclepias asthmatica, Tylophora

asthmatica, Cynanchum indicum

Butterfly :- Blue Tiger, Plain
Tiger, Glassy Tiger, Common Crow

Albizia lebbeck Family: Mimosaceae Siris is indigenous
to the Indian subcontinent, to those

areas of southeast Asia with a marked dry season and to the
monsoon areas of northern

Australia.

Butterfly :- Common Nawab, Zebra
Blue

Cryptolepis buchanani Family: Asclepiadaceae Native
Range
: Native to China, Indian

Subcontinent, Indo-China Cryptolepis
buchanani
a climbing tree, is used as folk
medicine in

southeast Asia. In Thailand.

Butterfly :- Glassy Tiger, Common
Crow, Plain Tiger

Litsea chinensis

Butterfly :- Common Blue Bottle

Atlantia racemosa

Butterfly :- Common Mormon, Blue
Mormon, Lime Blue

Watakaka volubulis

Butterfly :- Blue Tiger

Ficus recemosa

Butterfly :- Common Crow

Ziziphus msutiyisns

Butterfly :-

Sesbania bispinosa

Butterfly :- Common
Grass Yellow, Mottled Emigrant, Zebra Blue

Cretevia religosa

Butterfly :- Great Orange Tip,
Common Wanderer, Common Gull, Pioneer

 

Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 8

Tylophora dalzelli

Butterfly :- Blue Tiger, Plain Tiger, Glassy Tiger, Common Crow

Pongamia pinnata

Azima tetracantha

Caesalpinia pulcherima

Passiflora incarnate

Butterfly :- Twany costor

Frerea indica :-

Butterfly :- Common Crow

Holostemma Creeper (Holostemma ada-kodien): –

Butterfly :- Striped Tiger

Acacia catechu:-

Butterfly :- Common Nawab

Sorghum Grass :-

Butterfly :- C. Evening brown

Mussaenda erythrophylla

Butterfly :- Commander (Moduza
procris) on Red Flag Bush

Ruellia tuberosa :-

Butterfly :- Peacock Pansy

Aringa whitii

Butterfly :-Common Palm Fly

Paracalyx scariosus (Marathi:
Ran Ghevda), :-

Butterfly :-Common Sailer

Derris scandens (Jewel
Vine):-

Butterfly :- Indian Sunbeam

Turnera ulmifolia

Butterfly :- LFP of Twany Coster
(25Nov11) . the cats enjoy both the leaves n the flowers…

Tylophora tennius :-

Butterfly :- Glassy tiger, Striped
tiger

Cleome rutidosperma :-

Butterfly :- Psyche

Crateva adansonii

Butterfly :- Great Orange Tip, Common Wanderer, Common Gull,
Pioneer

 

Host Plants

Faruk Mhetar – farukarise@gmail.com

Page 9

Turnera ulmifolia :- Twany Coster

Flacourtia ramontchi– Larval food plant of Common Leopard

 

 
 
 

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