Common name: Chocolate Weed, Wire bush, Redweed • Hindi: Tikiokra, Bilpat, चित्रबीज chitrabee • Marathi: लहान मेथुरी Lahan methuri • Tamil: பிண்ணாக்குக்கீரை Punnakkukkirai • Malayalam: Ketam • Telugu: Ganugapindikura • Kannada: Bettadatutti mara • Bengali: Bon-pat, Tikiokra • Oriya: Dasokerotan
Botanical name: Melochia corchorifolia Family: Sterculiaceae (Cacao family)
Chocolate Weed is a herb or undershrub, 1.5-2 ft or more, with hollow stems,
which are erect or sometimes prostrate. Small flowers are white or sometimes
yellowish or pinkish. Flowers occur in terminal clusters. Leaves are ovate,
rounded or very slightly cuneate at base, pointed at the tip, 3-6 cm long, up
to 4 cm broad. Leaf stalk is 1/3-1/2 as long as the blade.
| Photographed in Maharashtra. |
Identification credit: Dinesh Valke
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