Dear Raghu ji,
DSC_6339, DSC_6337 and DSC_6338 are not of* *Tolypanthus lagenifer. *Tolypanthus lagenifer* is a parasitic plant that grows on other plants. Here, I assume that you got *Tolypanthus lagenifer* from the plant seen in the aforementioned pictures. This would be a species of *Litsea *of Lauraceae family. Regards Giby. On 18 September 2011 02:14, raghu ananth <[email protected]> wrote: > * > * > * > * > *Monsoon 2011 - Making a magical flora discovery in rainy Coorg* > Rainy season is the best time to visit Coorg, blanketing the place as it > does in shades of green, be it lush forests, mountain tops and every other > spot. Bhagmandala, the place where the three rivers, the Kaveri Kannike > and Sujyothi merge is no exception and one fine day at the height of the > monsoon season, we walked the woody paths in Bhagmandala. The drizzle had > set in by afternoon, continuing into the evening when suddenly it took on > the shape of a downpour. We retreated to the shelter of the nearby trees and > what do we find here but that hidden in the dark and dense vegetation were > these spectacular young red flowers. We had hit a jackpot! ( 1. Tolypanthus > lagenifer - [Indian Tolypanthus] from the *Family* *Loranthaceae, 2. *Cup > and Saucer plant [Breynia retusa] -already posted, 3. Unidentified red > flower (to be posted)) > growing in a row vertically and on the woody stem (which seemed painted) > of a shrub. The bright red leaves here and there, the bell shape and > tubular structures, the stamens and the anthers of the flower were indeed a > feast for our eyes. > ** ** > *Cure for the seven-day itch!* > Along came a group of around six buffalos waddling their way home in the > rain, and soon I noticed that the hooves of each buffalo was bleeding red. > Looked like leech bites. Earlier in the day during an uphill walk along the > narrow forest path, I had noticed a fat leech on my leg blood sucking on an > already bleeding wound for an easy meal. Probably the poor buffalos faced > the same multiple bites on the same wound. Cattle over here, it is believed > are able to remove/heal wounds by licking it with their tongues. But they > are helpless when leeches take guard between their hooves. Dogs are known to > remove leaches by killing them with their teeth. **** > By then, the rains had washed away the dettol on our legs – which served as > protection from leeches and we remembered to smear it again before we moved > on. Every time we crossed the numerous river streams and nullahs, the > power of the dettol seemed to diminish and the leeches would again climb up > our legs forcing us to reapply dettol. On that particular day, my mate and I > had almost finished half a bottle of dettol.**** > I noticed leeches trying to climb up our legs and moving away after > smelling dettol - a very effective remedy! Seven to eight leech bites that > day were enough to prolong bleeding (Thanks to anti-clotting enzyme > –Hirudin) for the rest of the day and itching sensation for next four to > seven days. **** > 9There appears to be two kinds of leech here – the smaller one after > blotting becomes 1cm in length and the larger one upto 3-4cms.)**** > > I have seen people using varied solutions to prevent/heel leech bites in > different areas – **** > We were given Shikakai solution, Uppage- Gamboge tree fruit paste (Garcinia > gummi-gutta > ) and Quick lime at Gamayana gudda hill, Uttara Kannada by the Siddi > tribals (African aborigins). In Kemmanagundi, Chikmagalur dist, people > suggest tobacco leaves and match stick flame. At Muthodi the forest guards > there use certain herbs growing along the forest path, Salt and quick lime, > We were given Paper in Unchalli forest to stop bleeding. Coffee powder in > Kukke, Mud paste from the same habitat in Bhagamandala, Coorg…. In Arunachal > we used leech guard, Gum boot in Uttara Kannada & Dettol in Coorg.**** > > When it comes to protecting yourselves from the leeches, you can take your > pick! **** > ** ** > **Regards** > ** > ** > **Raghu** > ** > ** > ***Tolypanthus lagenifer - [Indian Tolypanthus]* > ** > **Bhagamandala, Coorg, Western ghats** > **Monsoon, 27th Jul 2011** > > ** > ** > ** > ** > ** ** > ** ** > ** ** > ** ** > ** ** > ** ** > ** ** > ** ** > ** ** > -- GIBY KURIAKOSE PhD Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Royal Enclave, Jakkur Post, Srirampura Bangalore- 560064 India Phone - +91 9448714856 (Mobile) visit my pictures @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/giby
