472

Naravelia zeylanica (L.) DC.

Synonym	:	Naravelia pilulifera var. yunnanensis Y. Fei
Family	:	Ranunculaceae
Local name	:	English - Ceylon Clematis Malayalam - Vathamkodi
Flowering and fruiting period	:	October-April
Distribution	:	South East Asia
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Moist deciduous forests, also in the plains
Uses	:	It is used in the treatment of pitta, helminthiasis, dermatopathy, leprosy, rheumatalgia, odontalgia, colic inflammation, wounds and ulcers.
Key Botanical Characters: Climbing shrubs; Leaves opposite, 2-3 foliate, leaflets 4-12 x 3-8 cm, elliptic–ovate, apex acute or acuminate, base rounded; terminal leaflet transformed into a 3-fid, hooked tendril, up to 9 cm long. Flowers greenish yellow, 1.5 cm across, bisexual. Sepals 4-5, greenish yellow, 0.8-1 cm long, elliptic, pubescent without. Petals 6-12, greenish yellow, ilinear to spathulate. Stamens many; filaments ligulate; staminodes 10-14, petaloid. Carpels many; ovule one per carpel; style 1.5-2 mm long; stigma clavate. Fruit achenes, many, linear, stalked, with spirally twisted, 3-4 cm long, feathery persistent style.