Star White wildflower

[JANAKI TURAGA]

Hi all,

I found this lovely creeping star white wildflower plant near a roadside and once in an adjacent wasteland. There were not that many of these plants around. It was rare.

I am seeing this plant for the first time in 2 years in this area.

Would appreciate if someone could id this plant and give any more information about this plant.

I think this is could be a Glory.

Some information that could be relevant to identify this plant and also to contextualise it ecosystem wise-wasteland, roadside-that is degraded habitats. Also last year inadequate rain and extensive, regular grazing by livestock, therefore the plants that dominated the landscape were eaten up. The area was nearly bereft of any green cover! This year monsoon has just begun and it has been good in the area, and the area has not seen livestock grazing. The old dominant species have just begun to make a comeback. This plant was seen only in 2 places.

 

Apologies for the large file of the plant.

 

Thanks

Janaki Turaga

 

[Gurcharan Singh]

Looks like Convolvulus prostratus (syn: C. pluricaulis).

-- 
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/ 

[JANAKI TURAGA]

Thanks for your response.

The key difference between the star white flower and Shankhapushpi is the size of the flower with the unidied flower being small-only in few mms size, and that  the unidied flower's inflorescence is raceme-as seen in the picture.

 

I hope that this observation/clarification of mine could be addressed

Thanks

Janaki Turaga

[Gurcharan Singh]

Janaki ji

My identification of Convolvulus prostratus is primarily based on second photograph, which clearly has flowers singly or in pairs. Your first photograph I suspect belongs to another plant, a member of Boraginaceae, may be Heliotropium eichwaldii

-- 
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/ 

[JANAKI TURAGA]

Gurcharan ji,

They are the same plant. If you were to zoom in on the flowers of the plant in the 2nd photo, you will be able to see the raceme.

I hope this helps.

Thanks again

Kind Regards

Janaki Turaga

[Gurcharan Singh]

Janaki ji

In that case your plant should be  Heliotropium strigosum. The leaves of first photograph are clearly of Boraginaceae.

-- 
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/ 

[JANAKI TURAGA]

Thank you Gurcharan ji

It is Heliotropium strigosum.

Would appreciate any more information about this plant- its range, habitat and whether this is an indicator of anything.

Kind Regards

Janaki Turaga

[Gurcharan Singh]

Here is some more information, Janaki ji

Hindi: Chitiphul

Mar: Sanjuvanchivel, Sitachekes

Punjab: Kharai, Tindu, Gorakh pamo

Rajasthan: Choti santri

Konkan: Sanjuvanchivel

Laxative and diuretic; juice applied to sore eyes, also used for boils, wounds and ulcers.

-- 
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/ 

[JANAKI TURAGA]

Thanks Gurcharan ji.

[tanay bose]

thanks Sir Ji I was unfortunate to tell that i have never seen Heliotropium strigosum thanks to Janaki Ji for making it available

Tanay

--
Tanay Bose
Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant
Department of Botany
University of British Columbia
3529-6270 University Blvd.
Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada)
Phone: 778-323-4036