Wood Rose

The Wood Rose Argyreia nervosa is a native of India, although it is commonly called Hawaiian Baby Wood Rose. The plant is a cousin of the Morning glory, and its flowers resemble the morning glory flowers. It is only when they are fertilized, that they form the beautiful rose-like seed pods.
I found the vine growing wild on my walk recently. I was enchanted by the woody, rose shaped seed pods.
The flower itself is not as attractive as its cousin the ipomea.

The roots of this plant are used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Green Ice Crossandra

The rare aquamarine flowers of the Green Ice Crossandra Ecbolium ligustrium are called Neelambari in Kannada. It is also known as the Green Shrimp Plant. This wild flower is found in the slopes of the Western Ghats. I found this rare plant in the Campus of IIT Bombay, in Mumbai, which still boasts of some wild patches of forestland.

Tribal medicine men use theleaves of this plant to make a decoction for alleviating fever. The root is used in rheumatism.