Cadaba fruticosa - Indian Cadaba

Indian Cadaba

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Photo: Srinivasa Babu

Common name: Indian Cadaba • Gujarati: કાળો કટકિયો kalo katakiyo, કિમીઆનું ઝાડ kimianu jhad, ખોરડુ khoradu, તેલીયો હેમકંદ teliyo hemakanda, થાનીયું thaniyu • Hindi: डाबी dabi, कोधब kodhab • Kachchhi: ભટકીઆલ bhatakial, જંગલી મીરચી jungli mirchi, કારો પીંજોરો karo pinjoro • Kannada: ಮರಗಾಡೆ ಗಿಡ maragade gida • Malayalam: കാട്ടകത്തി kattakatti, വിഴുതി viluti • Marathi: हबब habab, काळी टाकळी kali takali, वेलिबी velibi • Rajasthani: डाबी dabi • Tamil: உருவாரச்சம்மட்டி uru-vara-c-camatti, விழுந்தி vilunti • Telugu: ఆడమొరినిక aadamorinika, చెవికుట్టుకాయ chavukkuttiyanku, చేకొండి chekonadi, చెముడు chemudu, చిమురుడుపూలు chimurudu poola, పోలుమొరినిక polumorinika, ఉత్తరాసిచెట్టు vutharasi chettu Source: Names of Plants in India

Botanical name: Cadaba fruticosa Family: Capparaceae (Caper family)
Synonyms: Cleome fruticosa

Indian Cadaba is a climbing shrub, height up to 5 m. Oval leaves with rounded tip are arranged alternately on the branches. Flowers usually in terminal racemes, or axillary solitary. Petals 4, clawed. Disk-appendix about as long as the petal claw, tubular, often trumpet shaped, apex generally petaloid and more or less toothed. Stamens 4-6, exserted, spreading; filaments on a short androphore or irregularly fused with the gynophore. Fruit is nearly cylindrical, leathery - internal tissues surrounding the nearly round seeds are often orange coloured. Flowering: January-March.

Identification credit: Pravin Kawale

Photographed in Vellore, Tamilnadu.

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