Kanikkaran (or Kani) name of Pothos scandens L.

[Dinesh Valke]

Dear Vijayasankar ji,

Please help with the Kanikkaran name of Pothos scandens L. in Tamil script.

The name paraioutan is used by the Kanikkar tribe, inhabitants of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve.

Reference: Lalitharani, & Mohan, Veerabahu & Maruthupandian, Arumugam. (2010). Pharmacognostical and phytochemical studies on Pothos scandens L. International Journal of Phytomedicine. 2. 277-283. 10.5138/ijpm.2010.0975.0185.02039.

Regards.

Dinesh

[Vijay Raman]

Hi Dinesh ji,

I am not sure of the spelling paraioutan, but a variation of it, Pāṟaiyoṭṭaṉ, can be transcribed as பாறையொட்டன் (pāṟai  = rock,  oṭṭaṉ = the one that sticks/clings to), referring to the plant's occasional lithophytic or rock-climbing habit.

Best,

Vijayasankar

[Dinesh Valke]

Many many thanks, Vijayasankar ji, for helping with this Kanikkaran name.

The transcribed word  paaraiyottan agrees very well with paraioutan, and the meaning too is in line with the nature of the plant.

I found another Tamil name mentioned in Tulu language Wikipedia ...written in Kannada script as ಅನಪ್ಪರುಗ (anapparuga).

ಅನಪ್ಪರುಗ (anapparuga) is transcribed by Google to Tamil as அனப்பருக (aṉapparuka)

What do you think? Does அனப்பருக (aṉapparuka) look / sound like a Tamil word ? This word / name is most probably used near Karnataka - Kerala - Tamil Nadu boundary region.

Google does not give any results for அனப்பரு !!

Please check only when you have time for this. 

Thank you very much, Vijayasankar ji.

Regards.

Dinesh

[Vijay Raman]

Hi Dinesh ji, 

The name Anaparuga doesn't sound like a Tamil name to me. 

I found another Tamil name, "Parattan kodi", recorded for the plant in this paper but it's probably a modified spoken version of "Paraiottan" that we discussed earlier (plus kodi கொடி means climber).

Best, 

Vijayasankar

[Dinesh Valke]

Thank you very very much, Vijayasankar ji, for this clarification.

We will rest with compiling the Kannikaran name - paraiottan.

Regards,

Dinesh