Group:
1 Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) - I - Dicotyledons
Family:
Cucurbitaceae
Genus:
Gynostemma
Common sinhala name:
Habit:
Creeper
Origin:
Native
National conservation status:
EN- Endangered
Legal status:
Not protected
Similar species:
All vernacular names:
Contributors for Images:
Bhikkhu Nyanatusita (ID- JdV & BN), Jecob de Vlas (ID-JdV)
Stems very long, slender, glabrous, furrowed when dry. Leaves 3—5- foliolate, petiolate, glabrous: terminal leaflet 2.5—10.5 x 1.75—4.5 cm, ovate lanceolate, acute, apex obscurely obtuse, apiculate, cuneate at base into petiolule (2.5—) 4—6 mm long, coarsely serrate; lateral leaflets (1.5.—) 2—6.5 X (0.6—) 1—3 cm, lanceolate, acute, mucronate, obliquely subtruncate at base. petiolule 1.5—6 mm long. Petiole 1.5—6.5 cm long. Inflorescence of many flowered, sparsely, simple-short-hairy to subglabrous, elongated, spreading panicles, flowers greenish-white, arranged in groups of 1—3 spread laxly along branches with each group subtended by narrowly linear bract 1—1.5 mm long. Male flowers: in inflorescences up to 30 cm or more long; pedicels up to 3 mm long, pubescent to subglabrous; sepals 1—1.5 x 0.5 mm, ovate, rounded apex, glabrous; petals c. 3 x 1 mm, lanceolate, long-slender acuminate. glabrous. Female flowers: in smaller inflorescences than male, 4—6 (—20) cm long: pedicels 2—2.5 (—4.5) mm long, pubescent to subglabrous: sepals c. 0.5 mm long, narrowly linear; petals similar to male; styles recurved towards apex, bifid. Fruit 6—9 mm diameter, globose, drying pale fawn, glabrous, indehiscent Seeds not seen. (FOC)
Gynostemma laxum (Wall.) Cogn.
