Dear all, In M. frontosa the flowers are thick and densely arranged whereas, in M bellila (the old name was M. laxa/M. frontosa var. laxa) the flowers are arranged loose/lax. If you get the specimen, while brushing through the leaves and if you feel rough hairs on the leaves you can be sure of that as M frontosa but if there are small smooth hairs that is M.bellila.
In most of the ecology text books and other introductory books it has been mentioned as M. frontosa only. That had given an impression that there is only one species that is M.frontosa. Please be more cautious when deal with minute characters. Taxonomy is interesting but it should be taken as a serious subject because it is mostly based on minute characters and need your discretion to reach a valid id. Do refer a valid flora, I would like to emphasis not e-flora. I say this because we found lots of mistake in many of the e floras that might happened while copying the old literature in to e-format. Unless you are thorough with the original description. You never find/ understand the mistake. We had this problem all throughout when we were trying to make a key for plants for farmers and layman. Here the picture is of M.bellila. Vijayashankar was correct. He might have handled several individals of this species from different parts of India as he worked all throughout India and collected specimens from different parts. He he may not go wrong. Regards, Giby On Apr 26, 9:40 am, "J.M. Garg" <[email protected]> wrote: > A reply: > "Its ofcourse M.frondosa...absolutely no doubt for me...if needed i may post > the photos of 2 coloured varieties of the same grown in Western ghats > Thank You > Dr Hari Venkatesh" > > On 25 April 2010 11:13, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > Forwarding again for Id confirmation or otherwise pl. > > > Earlier relevant feedback: > > “These are not leaves. *This is the special feature of Mussaenda bellila*, > > wherein the floral bracts are modified, enlarged and brightly white, > > probably to attract pollinators as the corolla is indistinct naturally. In > > Malayalam it is known as 'Vellila' means 'white leaf'.” from Vijayasankar > > ji. > > > “In Mussaenda, it is the sepals that get modified into coloured leaf > > > like structures and not the bracts..out of 5 sepals present in it one > > gets modified into coloured structure either white or red > > *..this plant > > is Mussaenda frondosa* of the family Rubiaceae..” from Dr. Hari. > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > From: raghu ananth <[email protected]> > > Date: 22 March 2010 22:25 > > Subject: [efloraofindia:30508] White leaves | id request 22Mar2010AR01 > > To: [email protected] > > > White leaves - As always I wonder, is this odd white leaves because of a > > disease ? chlorophyll deficiency? Will the leaf survive like as long as > > its siblings. > > Anyway, to me it appears like a natures handiwork. > > > Kumaraparvatha hills, South Canara, Karnataka > > Western Ghats > > 26 Mar 2009, 10.38AM > > > Basic info: Leaf size - 4 inches, height -10 inches, Shape:- cordate, > > entire, acuminate > > > Date/Time-26 Mar 2009, 10.38AM > > > Location- Place, Altitude, GPS- Kumaraparvatha hills, South Canara, > > Karnataka, 12"39' 36.77" N 75" 40' 49.68 E, elev 4000ft approx > > > Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type-Wild / Western ghats > > > P > > > lant Habit- Tree/ Shrub/ Climber/ Herb- > > > Height/Length-approx - 8-10 inches > > > Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size- Shape -cordate, entire, acuminate > > > Inflorescence Type/ Size- > > > Flowers Size/ Colour/ Calyx/ Bracts- > > > Fruits Type/ Shape/ Size Seeds- > > > Other Information like Fragrance, Pollinator, Uses etc.- Three white leaves > > > Regards > > Raghu > > > ------------------------------ > > Your Mail works best with the New Yahoo Optimized IE8. Get it > > NOW!<http://in.rd.yahoo.com/tagline_ie8_new/*http://downloads.yahoo.com/in...> > > . > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "efloraofindia" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]<indiantreepix%2bunsubscr...@goog > > legroups.com> > > . > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en. > > > -- > > With regards, > > J.M.Garg ([email protected]) > >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 > > 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' > > Image Resource of more than a thousand species of Birds, Butterflies, > > Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): > >http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg > > For learning about Indian Flora, visit/ join Google e-group- Efloraofindia: > >http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix > > -- > With regards, > J.M.Garg ([email protected])http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 > 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' > Image Resource of more than a thousand species of Birds, Butterflies, Plants > etc. (arranged alphabetically & > place-wise):http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg > For learning about Indian Flora, visit/ join Google e-group- > Efloraofindia:http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "efloraofindia" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group > athttp://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. 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