Dear Giby, Solena amplexicaulis is a highly polymorphic species with lots of variation in the shape & size of leaves and fruits and also in the length of petiole, etc. May be that is the reason it has got several synonyms. One of the synonyms, S. heterophylla, also denotes the variable nature of leaves in this plant (for nonbotanists: hetero=different; phylla=leaves). Dr.K.N.Gandhi worked on its nomenclature to bring out clarifications. Dr. Chakravarty, who revised this family for BSI's Flora of India opined that "this is an extremely heteromorphic species amongst the Cucurbits" and he also suggested segregation of this taxon into many varieties and forms.
Hope this answers your question. Regards Vijayasankar Raman National Center for Natural Products Research University of Mississippi On Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 11:56 PM, Smilax004 <[email protected]>wrote: > I am just curious why it is called amplexicaulis? The leaf is not > amplexicaulis in the picture. > > Regards > Giby > > > > > On Mar 24, 10:52 pm, Neil Soares <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi, > > This is Solena amplexicaulis [S.heterophylla]. Sending you one of my > photographs taken at my farm. Also please check the archives of this group > for my other photographs of this. > > Regards. > > Neil Soares. > > > > --- On Thu, 3/24/11, raghu ananth <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > From: raghu ananth <[email protected]> > > Subject: [efloraofindia:65569] Wayanad flora #11 | Climber-Red fruit > IdReq 24Mar2011 > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Thursday, March 24, 2011, 7:18 PM > > > > Wayanad flora #11 | Climber-Red fruit IdReq 24Mar2011 > > > > Date/Time-10 Jan 2011 > > Location- Place, Altitude, GPS- Sulthan Battery, Waynaad, Kerala > > Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type-, Garden > > Plant Habit- Tree/ Shrub/ Climber/ Herb- Climber > > Height/Length-approx - 30 feet, Climbing on a tree, > > Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size- Shape - ~Heart, Margin -Smooth, Size-10 cms > approx., almost dry- leaves/fruit > > Inflorescence Type/ Size- > > Flowers Size/ Colour/ Calyx/ Bracts - No flowers > > Fruits Type/ Shape/ Size Seeds- Red, 9cms, dry fruit-brown, > > Other Information like Fragrance, Pollinator, Uses etc.- > > > > > > > > Regards > > Raghu > > > > Solena amplexicaulis.jpg > > 64KViewDownload
