Gonostegia bennettiana (Wight) Pusalkar & Ingle, Fl. India 24: 82 (2022) (syn: Hyrtanandra hirta var. bennettiana (Wight) Thwaites ; Memorialis hispida var. bennettiana (Wight) Wedd. ; Pouzolzia bennettiana Wight ) as per POWO;
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India, Sri Lanka, Assam as per POWO;
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¿ Gonostegia bennettiana var. longifolia (Wight) Pusalkar & Ingle ?
Maditerai, about 2271 m asl
Gonostegia hirta (Hassk.) Miq.
| Feature | G. bennettiana var. longifolia | G. hirta |
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| Stem Shape | Generally cylindrical or slightly angled. | Distinctly 4-angled towards the tip. |
| Leaf Base | Usually tapering (attenuate) or rounded. | Heart-shaped (cordate) or rounded. |
| Leaf Veins | Primarily 3-veined from the base. | Can be 3- or 5-veined from the base. |
| Leaf Texture | Membranous and minutely hairy (puberulous). | Herbaceous or thinly papery; upper surface is often bristly. |
| Growth Habit | Prostrate, creeping herb. | Prostrate to sub-erect, often longer (up to 100 cm). |
- The Stem: If you see a sharp, 4-angled stem near the top, it is almost certainly G. hirta. G. bennettiana stems are typically more rounded.
- The Leaf Base: Look at where the leaf meets the stalk. G. hirta leaves often “hug” the stem with a heart-shaped base, whereas var. longifolia leaves tend to be more slender and tapered at both ends.
- The Hair: G. hirta has a “rougher” feel due to its bristly hairs, giving it the common name “Hairy Pouzolz’s Bush”.
Flora of Sri Lanka :: https://www.floraofsrilanka.com/species/1349
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Plant for id 241210MK1:
Please help to id this subshrub found at Kodaikanal. I have not seen any flowers of this.
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Date/Time- |
06-11-2010 / 11:20 AM |
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Location- Place, Altitude, GP |
ca.2200asl; Kodaikanal, TN |
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Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type- |
wild; near water stream |
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Plant Habit- |
sub shrub |
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Height/Length- |
ca. 1 M |
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Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size- |
10 x 3 cm |
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Inflorescence Type/ Size- |
not observed |
Plant belonging to the family Melastomataceae ??
leaves tells so.
Could this be a species of Pouzolzia (Urticaceae) ????
Or a Pilea sp. from the same family?
It is Melastomaceae.
but express inabilities to identify genus without flower.
but guess may be Osbeckia or Melastoma
I agree with …
The leaves here seem to be ternate. So my guess is Osbeckia stellata.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim-sf/4041075057/in/photostream/
http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=94686&flora_id=2
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/267635/
To me it looks like Pouzolzia bennettiana a very variable species.
Yes Sir, this is Pouzolzia bennettiana, rightly said by …
Picture or information about the flower could be helpful in confirming the id.
I think this species is Melastoma malabathricum L., common in hills of Peninsular India and NE. India.
I could also be a species of Osbeckia.
For confirmation of the genus, we need to know the nature of stamens. In Melastoma the stamens are unequal in size, whereas in Osbeckia the stamens are equal in size.
Further fruits burst irregularly in Melastoma and open by pores at apex in Osbeckia.
Sorry, this is Pouzolzia (Urticaceae) species. This is edible herb in Arunachal and parts of Assam.
To me this plant again appears Poulzolzia hirta. This agrees with …, who identified it with P. bennettiana, now considered as synonym of P. hirta var. hirta.
I agree with … as this is Pouzolzia and Poulzolzia hirta is a possible id, I think. This species seems to show variation from place to place.http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=242341238
I am sorry for the very late reply. This shrub was not flowering at that time of photography (November). If I visit the place again, I shall notice the flower and anthers too. This plant seems very much erect and only a revisit could solve the identity. Many thanks for all.
Gonostegia hirta (Blume) Miq.
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290926pkd2: Id pls collected From Ganjam Odisha on Sept 2026: 4 high res. images.
This is Pouzolzia bennettiana as per
https://efloraofindia.com/efi/pouzolzia-bennettiana/ (See the differences also with another species i.e. Pouzolzia hirta (Blume) Hassk.)
https://indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in/herbsheet.php?id=9596&cat=13
Does it have distribution ?
“Pouzolzia bennettiana (also classified under the synonym Gonostegia bennettiana) is a plant species from the nettle family (Urticaceae) native to India. Its documentation in the state of Odisha (formerly Orissa) is notably recorded in Volume 3 of the “Flora of Orissa” (1995) by H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Distribution Localities: Mahendragiri Hills in the Ganjam district.
- Habit & Habitat: Occasional undershrub found growing on hills up to altitudes of 1500 meters in the northern Eastern Ghats. [1]
- Distribution Localities: Deomali Hills (Koraput district) and the Mahendragiri Hills (Ganjam district).
- Habit & Habitat: An undershrub native to peninsular India, producing flowers and fruits between June and August. [1]
- Distribution Localities: Kalahandi and Koraput districts.
- Habit & Habitat: A shrub that is occasionally spotted growing in damp, shaded valleys and close to streams, with its flowering and fruiting season occurring between November and December. [1]“
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References:
POWO Flora of peninsular India India Flora Online