Many thanks Satish ji for validating the ID. Both the plants (*lupulinus* and *heyneanus*) could be close; however a point mentioned in Talbot's The Trees, Shrubs and Wood-Climbers of the Bombay Presidency<http://www.archive.org/stream/TalbotTreesBombay/TalbotTreesBombayPresidency#page/n425/mode/2up>: the bracts in these two plants are *quite* different -- is noteworthy.
In the posted plant, the bracts resemble hops, the stem and branches are woody and warty. These two aspects and Radha ji's guidance convinced me of the ID. I am not sure of the glabrous / hairy aspect. In Flora of the Presidency of Bombay<http://www.archive.org/stream/floraofpresidenc02cook#page/366/mode/2up> *S. lupulinus* is described to be without bracteoles though further describes the nature and dimensions of the bracts. I am not sure I can distinguish between bracts and bracteoles. Corolla of *S. heyneanus* has relatively constricted neck. In the posted plant the corolla tube does not look constricted. For reference and comparison, corolla of *S. heyneanus*can be seen in Prashant's photo at Flowers of India <http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Karun%20Kurinji.html>. Nature of bracts also can be seen here. Further validation is welcome; will stand corrected. Regards. Dinesh On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 7:56 PM, Satish Phadke <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks for sharing wonderful pictures of an uncommon(Not posted on the > group) Acanthaceae member > It just prompted me to go through the key of Strobilanthes(Earlier or what > BSI Flora mentions as Nilgirianthus) > *Stamens are 2 in N. reticulatus. All other species have 4 stamens. > Flowers are without bracteoles in 2 sp. out of which N.heyneanus has > bracts glabrous or nearly so; whereas N. lupulinus has bracts hairy. > These characters must be there in your specimens though I couldn't see them > clearly.* > > Dr Satish Phadke > > > On Wed, Nov 28, 2012 at 12:28 AM, Dinesh Valke <[email protected]>wrote: > >> via Species<https://sites.google.com/site/indiannamesofplants/via-species>> >> S <https://sites.google.com/site/indiannamesofplants/via-species/s> > >> *Strobilanthes lupulinus* Nees ... (*family*: Acanthaceae) >> [image: Strobilanthes lupulinus >> Nees]<http://www.flickr.com/photos/dinesh_valke/8150054304/> >> >> [image: Flowers of India] <http://www.flowersofindia.net/> [image: >> Discussions at >> efloraofindia]<https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups=#%21topicsearchin/indiantreepix/Strobilanthes%20lupulinus> >> [image: more views in >> flickr]<http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Strobilantheslupulinus&m=tags&z=m> >> [image: more views on Google >> Earth]<http://api.flickr.com/services/feeds/geo/india/&tags=Strobilantheslupulinus&format=kml_nl> >> >> >> *stroh-bil-AN-theez* -- cone flower ... Dave's >> Botanary<http://davesgarden.com/guides/botanary/search.php?search_text=Strobilanthes> >> *lup-oo-LEE-nus* or *loo-poo-LEE-nus* -- resembling hops ... Dave's >> Botanary<http://davesgarden.com/guides/botanary/search.php?search_text=lupulinus> >> >> >> *commonly known as*: hop-headed >> strobilanthes<https://sites.google.com/site/indiannamesofplants/via-names/english/hop-headed-strobilanthes> >> >> >> *botanical names*: *Strobilanthes lupulinus* Nees ... *synonyms*: no >> synonym known >> >> >> ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ >> ~ >> Photographed at Matheran, Maharshtra on 01 NOV 12 >> Many thanks to Radha Veach for the ID. >> >> Regards. >> >> Dinesh >> >> -- >> >> >> >> > > --
