Cryptostegia grandiflora

• Botanical Name : Cryptostegia grandiflora Roxb. ex R.Br.
• Common Name : Rubber Vel, Rubber Vine, Vilayati-Vacundi
• Plant Family : Apocynaceae
• Plant Form : Climbers
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 28
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation, Indroda Park

About Cryptostegia grandiflora Plant :

• Habit : A very large scandent shrub with climbing habit.
• Leaves : Opposite, ovate-elliptic, narrow at both ends.
• Inflorescence : Cymes.
• Flowers :
  • Large, showy, bright rich lilac-purple or rose-pink.
  • Calyx deeply divided, segments 5, ovate, with wavy margins and glands at the base.
  • Corolla funnel-shaped, corona of 5 scales, each scale cleft into 2 pointed filaments.
  • Stamens 5, included, filaments free, anthersunited at the base with the stigma.
  • Pollinia solitary in the cells. Translator is spoon-shaped with adhesive disc at the top.
  • Carpels 2, 1-celled, inside the staminal column, ovules many.
• Fruit : Follicles large, sharply-angular, seeds comose.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : March-September
• Significance :
  • Common as a weed.
  • An inferior quality of rubber has been known to be produced from the milk.