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Pankusum
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Pankusum
ative Photo: Dinesh Valke
Common name: Pankusum, Forest spider lily • Bengali: বন পেঁয়াজ bawn peyanj, পানকুসুম paankooshoom, শাদাকানুর shadakanoor • Kannada: ಕಾಡು ನೀರುಳ್ಳಿ kaadu neerulli • Malayalam: കാട്ടുള്ളി kaattulli, കാട്ടുള്ളി പോള kaattulli pola • Marathi: कुमूर kumur, पानकुसुम pankusum • Odia: କୁକନ୍ଦା kukanda • Sanskrit: वनपलाण्डु vanapalandu • Tulu: ಕಾಟ್ಟು ನೀರುಳ್ಳಿ kattu neerulli Source: Names of Plants in India
Botanical name: Pancratium triflorum    Family: Amaryllidaceae (Nargis family )

Pankusum is a herb, 30-40 cm tall, arising from a bulb. Bulb is spherical, 4-5 cm, without a neck. Thin linear-lancelike leaves, 20-45 cm long, arise with the flowers. The scape (stem carrying flowers) is slender, 15-23 cm tall, flattened, with longitudinal lines. Stalkless flowers arise in an umbel of 3-8 flowers, enclosed in a spathe, on top of the flowering-stem Flowers are white, 4-5 cm across, fragrant. Petals are narrow, linear, 2-3 cm, tube 3-5 cm long. The cup holding the stamens is small, with teeth divided into two, between short filaments. Anthers are prominent and yellow. Fruits are ovoid, 3-angled. Flowers open at night, fade by morning. Flowering: May-June.

Identification credit: Tabish Photographed in Yeoor Hills, Thane, Maharashtra.

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