Rubiaceae Week: Haldina cordifolia (Roxb.) Ridsdale from Delhi

[Gurcharan Singh]

Haldina cordifolia (Roxb.) Ridsdale,   Blumea 24: 361 1978. 

syn:  Adina cordifolia (Roxb.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks.; Nauclea cordifolia Roxb. 

Common names: Haldu

Hindi: Haldu

Beng: Petpuria, dakom

Mar: Heddi

Tel: Pasupukadamba

Tam: Manjakadamba

Deciduous tree reaching 35 m with trunk often fluted at base; leaves opposite, broadly ovate with cordate base, 8-20 cm long;  densely puberulent beneath, sparsely above; petiole 3-10 cm long; stipules spathulate or ovate 10-12 mm long; Flowers yellowish in globose heads 15-20 mm across on 2-6 cm long peduncle each subtended by two small bracts; calyx and corolla hairy outside, corolla tube 5-6 mm long; stigma ovoid, exserted; fruiting heads 11-16 mm across.

Photographed from Sunder Nursery in Delhi

The three closely related species belonging to three different genera in Delhi can be separated as under

1a. Leaves cordate at base..........................Haldina cordifolia

1b. Leaves rounded or cuneate at base.......2

2a. Flowering heads less than 2 cm across;

      fruiting head woody, leaves shorter than 12 cm..................Mitragyna parvifolia

2b. Flowering heads usually more than 3 cm across,

      fruiting heads fleshy, leaves longer than 15 cm..................Neolamarckia cadamba 

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Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[Balkar Singh]

Thanks for the Key and nice Pics Sir

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Regards

Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964

[Nidhan Singh]

Thanks sir for the distinguishing key. The tree is really beautiful, looks like it was high up and you captured this standing below this.



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Regards,

Dr. Nidhan Singh
Department of Botany
I.B. (PG) College
Panipat-132103 Haryana
Ph.: 09416371227