Common name: Maloo Creeper • Hindi: मालू Malu • Marathi: चम्बुली Chambuli • Malayalam: Mottanvalli • Telugu: Madapu • Kannada: Chambolli • Bengali: Chehur • Oriya: Siyali
Botanical name: Bauhinia vahlii Family: Caesalpiniaceae (Gulmohar family)
Maloo Creeper is the largest creeper in India, and can grow up to 10-30 m
long. The woody stem can get as thick as 20 cm. The spreading stout branches
are covered with rusty fine hair. The stout tendrils are coiling and occur in
pairs. Large leaves are 10-30 cm, 2-lobed with a broad cut. The white
flowers, 2-3 cm across, turn yellow when old. The flowers occur in rounded
clusters. It has 3 stamens and 7 staminodes. Fruit is a flat woody pod with
fine rusty hairs, 20-30 cm long.
Identification credit: Pravin Kawale
| Photographed in Alibag, Maharashtra. |
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