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Pentatropis nivalis (J.F. Gmel.) D.V. Field & J.R.I. Wood, Kew Bull. 38(2): 215 215 1983. (syn: Asclepias nivalis J.F.Gmel.; Asclepias nivea Forssk.; Oxystelma caudatum Buch.-Ham. ex Wall.; Pentarrhinum fasciculatum K.Schum.; Pentatropis cynanchoides R.Br. ex N.E.Br.; Pentatropis fasciculata (K.Schum.) N.E.Br.; Pentatropis hoyoides K.Schum.; Pentatropis madagascariensis Decne.; Pentatropis nivalis subsp. madagascariensis (Decne.) Liede & Meve; Pentatropis rigida Chiov.; Pentatropis senegalensis Decne.; Strobopetalum carnosum N.E.Br.) as per POWO;
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Sahel to Tanzania, Comoros, Madagascar, Egypt to W. India as per WCSP;
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Afghanistan, Burkina, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Gulf States, India, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sinai, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen as per POWO;
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pen-tuh-TROH-pis — Greek: penta (five); tropis (ship’s keel); refers to the distinctive structure of the flower’s inner centre … compiled from the web
nih-VAY-lis or nih-VAH-lis — Latin: snowy, or growing near snow; referring to the white color, pale, frost-like coloration of its flowers … compiled from the web . commonly known as: white milkweed • Gujarati: ધોળી કાવલી dholi kavali, ધોળી પીલુડી dholi piludi, કાકતુંડી kaaktundi • Haryanvi: आकारी बेल aakari bel, धोदहियल dhodhial • Hindi: आकरी बेल aakari bel • Kachchhi: ધોધીઆલ dhodhiyal, ધોધવલ dhodhval • Marathi: अंबरवेल ambervel, परपरम parparam, शिंग्रोटा shingrota • Punjabi: ਵਣ ਵੇਰੀ wan weri • Rajasthani: आकरी बेल aakari bel • Sanskrit: काकनासिका kakanasika • Tamil: ஈர்கொல்லிக் கொடி irkollik-kodi, உப்பிலாங்கொடி uppilankodi
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Pentatropis nivalis : Oman : 05MAR16 : AK-1 : 01/01 : 1 post by 1 author. Attachments (5)
This is Pentatropis nivalis in the book Native Guide to Wild Plants of Oman. Id also confirmed by Dr Shahina Ghazanfar of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The last picture has been taken just yesterday (4.3.16) .
Wild Climber for ID : Muscat,Oman : 120812 : AK-1: It is a member of Periplocaceae Schltr. or Asclepiadaceae. Its Pentatropis species of Asclepiadaceae ….. thought there are P.spiralis and P.nivalis. but this specimen is not matching with any one…
May be you are right, Pentatropis sp., .
Flora of Panipat District-Pentatropis spiralis: 5 images.
Pentatropis spiralis More pics from the same delhi parallel branch Canal near Samalkha It should be of Pentatropis nivalis (as per images, details and references herein) rather than Pentatropis spiralis (earlier wrongly identified in Flora of Pakistan, but now no distribution in India as per WCSP, POWO and PROTA (syn: Pentatropis spiralis auct.) as per details and references herein.
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Flora of Panipat 2013: Pentatropis spiralis : Attachments (5). 3 posts by 2 authors.
This milkweed was shot from near Panipat few days back (9.9.13), wanted to share.. I hope this should be..
Pentatropis spiralis (Forssk.) Decne. Yes I am also agree with P spiralis. New name according to theplantlist is Blyttia spiralis (Forssk.) D.V.Field & J.R.I.Wood. It should be of Pentatropis nivalis (as per images, details and references herein) rather than Pentatropis spiralis (earlier wrongly identified in Flora of Pakistan, but now no distribution in India as per WCSP, POWO and PROTA (syn: Pentatropis spiralis auct.) as per details and references herein. .
Flora of Panipat: Pentatropis spiralis from Village Lohari Panipat : Attachments (6). 3 posts by 2 authors.
Pentatropis spiralis from Panipat district
Pls validate I hope this is rightly identified..lovely pics.. Thanks for Confirmation … Still have to solve mystery of P spiralis and P capensis It should be of Pentatropis nivalis (as per images, details and references herein) rather than Pentatropis spiralis (earlier wrongly identified in Flora of Pakistan, but now no distribution in India as per WCSP, POWO and PROTA (syn: Pentatropis spiralis auct.) as per details and references herein. .
Climber for ID : 05112013 : RV 3 : Attachments (4). 6 posts by 5 authors.
Requesting ID of this beautiful delicate climber growing in rocky terrain of Jaswant Thada of Rao Jodha Rock, Jodhapur…. picture taken in 3rd week of August in wild. … some beautiful member of Asclepiadaceae, now into Apocynaceae. Check for Pentatropis species. Yes, this can be Pentatropis spiralis… Apocyanaceae… Thanks … for giving a lead…. it is Pentatropis spiralis. It should be of Pentatropis nivalis (as per images, details and references herein) rather than Pentatropis spiralis (earlier wrongly identified in Flora of Pakistan, but now no distribution in India as per WCSP, POWO and PROTA (syn: Pentatropis spiralis auct.) as per details and references herein. This looks very close to my pictures.
But I have no idea which Species are seen in Rajasthan.
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Need id of Asclepiad : 6 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (4)
I need id of following Asclepiad taxon. Pentatropis sp. Thanks … for your id up to genus level. Could be Pentatropis Species. Blyttia spiralis (syn. Pentatropis spiralis (Forssk.) Decne.) ? … many many thanks for your id assistance It should be of Pentatropis nivalis (as per images, details and references herein) rather than Pentatropis spiralis (earlier wrongly identified in Flora of Pakistan, but now no distribution in India as per WCSP, POWO and PROTA (syn: Pentatropis spiralis auct.) as per details and references herein.
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Id100709phk : Attachments (3 + 3). 10 posts by 5 authors.
Pl id this one, It is a Tylophora, but is it T. ovata? It is Pentatropis nevalis.
Just to remind you – Dr.Almeida had identified these earlier photographs of yours as Pentatropis nevalis. Pictures look similar to the images at Pentatropis capensis (L. f.) Bullock . Pl. confirm.
I could not find any keys between these two species on net. If any one has them, pl. post so that proper Id can be done.
On further search, PROTA says:
“Pentatropis comprises three species: Pentatropis bentii (N.E.Br.) Liede from Somalia and southern peninsular Arabia, Pentatropis capensis (L.f.) Bullock from India and Sri Lanka and Pentatropis nivalis, which is now considered widespread from Africa to India, after a revision in which many species were put into synonymy. The last two species are closely related and it is well possible that they belong to the same species. Pentatropis is closely related to Tylophora and Pleurostelma. ”
Flora of Pakistan does not mention Pentatropis nivalis, but gives only two other species with keys as below:
Pentatropis spiralis (Forssk.) Decne. is a synonym of Blyttia spiralis (Forssk.) D.V.Field & J.R.I.Wood as per The Plant List Ver. 1.1
There are no other posting of Pentatropis nivalis on efi. I am not sure of this id since I haven’t come across in India, but I will post Pentatropis nivalis from Oman in another post. Thanks, …, Here is the link to your post on Pentatropis nivalis Pictures posted by … from Oman at Pentatropis nivalis look much different from these.
Pl. confirm the posted plant as Pentatropis capensis. Pentatropis nivalis on Arkive
http://www.arkive.org/pentatropis/pentatropis-nivalis/
It should be of Pentatropis nivalis (as per images, details and references herein) rather than Pentatropis spiralis (earlier wrongly identified in Flora of Pakistan, but now no distribution in India as per WCSP, POWO and PROTA (syn: Pentatropis spiralis auct.) as per details and references herein.
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Pentatropis sp??27112012-PKA1: Very nice find. Me too have to rush to some nearby mangrove. Yes, it does look like P. capensis. Thanks … It should be Pentatropis nivalis rather than Pentatropis capensis as per details and references herein. .
Names of Plants in India :: Pentatropis capensis (L. f.) Bullock : 5 posts by 2 authors. 1 image.
via Species > P > Pentatropis capensis (L. f.) Bullock … family: Apocynaceae ~ Asclepiadaceae
wonderful to see the pic and the indian names, Thanks … did you get to see and photograph the open faces of flowers and its seeds, which are quite unique
Thanks … I could not manage to get pictures of flower face; the plant was inside a thicket.
I do have a picture of follicle, and another in stage of dispersing the seeds (taken few years back, at a different place) …
Gorai mangrove Date: various … Altitude: about sea level
Pentatropis capensis (L. f.) Bullock … family: Apocynaceae ~ Asclepiadaceae
February 26, 2011
January 23, 2011
2 images.
Typo correction:
• Assamese: কাউৰীঠুতীয়া লতা kauri thutia lata
It should be Pentatropis nivalis rather than Pentatropis capensis as per details and references herein. .
Pentatropis capensis in FOI : 2 posts by 2 authors.
Images of Pentatropis capensis in FOI by …, should be of Pentatropis nivalis rather than Pentatropis capensis as per details and references herein.
Pl. correct. Images of Shekhar Marathe at Pentatropis spiralis in FOI should be of Pentatropis nivalis rather than Pentatropis spiralis (earlier wrongly identified in Flora of Pakistan, but now no distribution in India as per WCSP, POWO and PROTA (syn: Pentatropis spiralis auct.) as per details and references herein.
Pl. correct. .
Pentatropis capensis :: Nagla forest :: 07 JAN 18 : 2 posts by 2 authors. 2 images.
Nagla forest … part of Sanjay Gandhi National Park
Elevation range: sea level to about 600 ft asl … January 7, 2018 Pentatropis capensis (L. f.) Bullock … (family: Asclepiadaceae ~ Apocynaceae) It should be Pentatropis nivalis rather than Pentatropis capensis as per details and references herein. …, any quick and specific aspect that points to nivalis separating from capensis ?
I ask because there are leaves alone in the posted pictures. This is mangrove habitat. The leaves may grow thick as it matures.
I went through both pages in eFI. Pl. see images just posted by …, in which I have marked you in cc.
Corolla is much shorter in P. capensis and the corona shape and colour is much different. …, but in this post, there are no flowers, just long shots of the plant. Here I am going by other observations in your area as well as little difference in the leaf shape and apex, along with distribution given in Flora of Peninsular India:
Thank you very much, … I will correct my notes in flickr, shortly.
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SD012 Plant ID help : 5 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (3)- around 750 kb each.
Need help with ID of this climber.
Found in Gurgaon, in Aravalli biodiversity park. Elevation 280-290 m
Pentatropis capensis Looks me like Apocynaceae Fm. Thank you all. This group has been really helpful, for non-botanists like myself, especially, who are looking to learn more about plants through observations. Actually, it should be Pentatropis nivalis rather than Pentatropis capensis as per details and references herein. .
Pentatropis FOR ID :: Dahisar mangroves :: February 16, 2020 : 3 posts by 2 authors. 2 images.
Dahisar mangroves Mumbai February 16, 2020, near to sea leavel
Pentatropis ¿ capensis / nivalis ? … (family: Apocynaceae) Dear friends,
Please help me know whether this Pentatropis plant is capensis OR nivalis. .
Names of Plants in India :: Pentatropis nivalis (J.F.Gmel.) D.V.Field & J.R.I.Wood: 1 image. pen-tuh-TROH-pis — Greek: penta (five); tropis (ship’s keel); refers to the distinctive structure of the flower’s inner centre … compiled from the web
nih-VAY-lis or nih-VAH-lis — Latin: snowy, or growing near snow; referring to the white color, pale, frost-like coloration of its flowers … compiled from the web commonly known as: white milkweed • Gujarati: ધોળી કાવલી dholi kavali, ધોળી પીલુડી dholi piludi, કાકતુંડી kaaktundi • Haryanvi: आकारी बेल aakari bel, धोदहियल dhodhial • Hindi: आकरी बेल aakari bel • Kachchhi: ધોધીઆલ dhodhiyal, ધોધવલ dhodhval • Marathi: अंबरवेल ambervel, परपरम parparam, शिंग्रोटा shingrota • Punjabi: ਵਣ ਵੇਰੀ wan weri • Rajasthani: आकरी बेल aakari bel • Sanskrit: काकनासिका kakanasika • Tamil: ஈர்கொல்லிக் கொடி irkollik-kodi, உப்பிலாங்கொடி uppilankodi
known for / parts made use of: the leaves, the roots & whole plant, the fruits (pods) & flowers … compiled from the web. botanical names: Pentatropis nivalis (J.F.Gmel.) D.V.Field & J.R.I.Wood … homotypic synonyms: Asclepias nivalis J.F.Gmel. … heterotypic synonyms: Oxystelma caudatum Buch.-Ham. ex Wall. • Pentatropis cynanchoides R.Br. ex N.E.Br. … and more at POWO, retrieved October 02, 2026 (●) HISTORICAL NOMENCLATURAL OVERLAP
Thereby Shared Vernacular Names In classic colonial-era Floras as well as lexicons, Pentatropis nivalis and Pentatropis capensis were heavily conflated. Botanists frequently lumped both species together under older synonyms like Pentatropis spiralis or Pentatropis microphylla.
Because both plants share a near-identical vegetative appearance (slender twining habit, fleshy opposite leaves, and milky sap), local communities naturally used these regional names interchangeably for both climbers. While modern taxonomy segregates the two species based on microscopic floral keys (such as the shape of the corona lobes and petal tails), their vernacular names remain historically shared across their overlapping habitats. … compiled from the web.
As such, the segregation of vernacular names [on this page] has been done based on the species’ geographic distribution as detailed in regional Floras, and the descriptive clues accompanying the vernacular names in classical lexicons.
Bibliography / etymology / notes
Links listed as references in the notes below, may not remain valid permanently. Portals / websites have a tendency to re-organize / revise their content, leading to change in URLs of pages in their site. Some sites may even close down at their own will. The bits about the languages of India mentioned below are merely some bare facts gathered from the internet; just enough to satisfy curiosity about “where” could the listed names be best prevalent in India. All English transliterated names to be taken sensu amplo.
~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~
written and spoken widely, in most parts of India
white milkweed
~~~~~ GUJARATI ~~~~~
written in: Gujarati (ગુજરાતી) … spoken in: Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
ધોળી કાવલી dholi kavali, ધોળી પીલુડી dholi piludi, કાકતુંડી kaaktundi
~~~~~ HARYANVI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (हरियाणवी or हरयाणवी) … spoken in: Haryana, Delhi
आकारी बेल aakari bel, धोदहियल dhodhial
In some regional digital assets, such as the Haryana Forest Flora database, these local names are indexed under the misapplied name Blyttia spiralis. However, because true Blyttia species are erect African shrubs, and the database’s physical description explicitly delineates a beaked, corky climber native to northern India, these vernacular terms are securely mapped here to Pentatropis nivalis. … compiled from the web.
~~~~~ HINDI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (हिन्दी) … spoken in: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
आकरी बेल aakari bel
~~~~~ KACHCHHI ~~~~~
written in: Gujarati (કચ્છી), Sindhi (ڪڇّي) … spoken in: Kutch region of Gujarat
ધોધીઆલ dhodhiyal, ધોધવલ dhodhval
~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मराठी) … spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka
अंबरवेल ambervel
परपरम parparam, शिंग्रोटा shingrota
~~~~~ PUNJABI ~~~~~
written in: Gurmukhi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) … spoken in: Punjab
ਵਣ ਵੇਰੀ wan weri
~~~~~ RAJASTHANI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (राजस्थानी) … spoken in: Rajasthan
आकरी बेल aakari bel
~~~~~ SANSKRIT ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (संस्कृतम्) … used all over India by priests and scholars
काकनासिका kakanasika
~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~
written in: Tamil (தமிழ்) … spoken in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
ஈர்கொல்லிக் கொடி irkollik-kodi
உப்பிலாங்கொடி uppilankodi
~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~
Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
~~~~~ Created on: 14:03 02-10-2026 ¦ Last updated: 08:47 03-10-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~
Names compiled / updated at https://dineshvalke.blogspot.com/2026/10/pentatropis-nivalis-jfgmel-dvfield.html
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Pentatropis nivalis
Updated on October 15, 2026