682

Antigonon leptopus Hook. & Arn.

Synonym	:	Antigonon amabie K.Koch
Family	:	Polygonaceae
Local name	:	English - Coral Vine Malayalam -Thenpoovalli
Flowering and fruiting period	:	November-March
Distribution	:	Native of South America, widely grown in gardens
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Grown as ornamental plants, now getting naturalised in wastelands
Uses	:	The plant is reported to possess various bioactivities such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic and antidiabetic activities.
Key Botanical Characters: Woody climber, with tuberous root, stem angular, glabrescent. Leaves alternate, blade 3-8 cm long, hastate-ovate, triangular or cordate-ovate, simple, hairy above, densely towards margin, glabrescent below; petiole 1-2 cm long. Inflorescence a raceme ending into a branched tendril.Flowers showy; pedicel 3-8 mm long with sparsely spreading simple hairs. Perianth segments 5, bright pink,  broad, very reticulately veined. Stamens 8.