Christisonia tubulosa

Christisonia tubulosa (Wight) Benth. ex Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 4: 321 1884. (Syn: Oligopholis tubulosa Wight);

Common name: Magenta Ghost Flower

India as per Catalogue of Life;

Fleshy leafless parasitic herbs, 15-26 cm high. Stem scaly, simple or branched from the rootstock. Scales 2-3 mm long, ovate-lanceolate. Inflorescence terminal, lax racemes; pedicels 1-2.5 cm long. Calyx tubular; tube 0.8-1.2 cm long; lobes obtuse. Corolla funnel-shaped, purplish white; tube 2.5-4 cm long, 2-lipped, 5-lobbed; lobes orbicular, subequal, lower lip yellowish at throat. Stamens 4, didynamous, connivent in pairs; anthers 2-celled, 1 cell perfect, other sterile, spurred. Ovary 1-celled, ovules many; style slender; stigma peltate. Capsule 0.8-1.2 cm long, ovoid. Seeds many, minute, calyx tube persistent in fruits.

Flowering and fruiting: July-August
Evergreen and shola forests
Southern Western Ghats (endemic)

(Attributions- Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Christisonia%20tubulosa%20-Wight-%20Benth.%20ex%20Hook.%20f.%203.jpg

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Christisonia%20tubulosa%20%28Wight%29%20Benth.%20ex%20Hook.%20f.%204.jpg

 

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Christisonia%20tubulosa%20-Wight-%20Benth.%20ex%20Hook.%20f.%206.jpg

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Christisonia%20tubulosa%20-Wight-%20Benth.%20ex%20Hook.%20f.%202.jpg
/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Christisonia%20tubulosa%20%28Wight%29%20Benth.%20ex%20Hook.%20f.%201.jpg

/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Christisonia%20tubulosa%20-Wight-%20Benth.%20ex%20Hook.%20f.%205.jpg

ANSEPT36/36 Christisonia tubulosa (Wight) Benth. ex Hook. f. : 4 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (9)

Family: Orobanchaceae
Date: 12th September 2015
Place: Thattekadu Bird Sanctuary, Ernakulam District, Kerala
Habit: Herb
Habitat: Semi-evergreen forest

Great Find …
I too had seen this root parasitic plant in Munnar region in 2006 and i was told that this is very rare.  This plant was  rediscovered in 2003, after 90 years! See this link, 
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/07/17/stories/2003071704580500.htm

Interesting information!

Thank you very much sir.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.