Drynaria quercifolia

When you drive through the hills of the Western Ghats, you come across this fern clinging to some trees. This is the Drynaria quercifolia, a fern with sterile fronds, like the Staghorn fern. The locals say that this fern eventually kills its host tree. It is called Kage Rekke in Kannada, which means Crow's Wings. Whether there is truth in the fears of the locals or not, this fern is a beauty.

It has many medicinal uses too. Its leaves are used to alleviate fever and cough. It is also used to treat dyspepsia.

Reinwardtia indica

One sees these bright yellow flowers in gardens during winter. It is the Basant, or Reinwardtia indica. This flower is also known as Pyoli in Gharwal. Being a native of the Himalayan foothills, this plant has many medicinal properties. It is used in Indian traditional medicine for the treatment of paralysis. The crushed leaves and stems of the plant are used to heal a suppurating wound.
The people of Gharwal associate Pyoli with a folk tale. According to the tale, Pyoli was a beautiful forest maiden, brought up by the plants, animals and birds of the forest. One day, a wounded prince got lost in the forest. Pyoli looked after him, and he fell in love with her. He married her and took her to his palace. But Pyoli missed her forest friends so much that she fell ill and died. The prince buried her in her beloved forest. After some time this plant with cheerful yellow flowers came up from the place she was buried.

Wild Lobelia

I saw these flowers growing in the jungle near the Sirimane Falls in the Western Ghats. When I went too near to smell it, one of the locals shouted a warning, saying it would make me retch!

The Dhaval, Lobelia nicoteanefolia is found extensively in the lower slopes of the Western Ghats. It is also known as the wild tobacco. All parts of the plant are poisonous, but like all native Indian plants, the Dhaval is also used in Ayurveda medicine , mostly for the treatment of asthma and bronchitis. The poisonous leaves can be smoked like tobacco. The plant contains the alkaloid lobeline.

Ber Fruit

Ber or Zezyphus sativa ia a native of the Indian subcontinent. It is found in the tropical south as well as in the arid regions of Rajasthan. In December and January, the trees become laden with ripe fruit, inviting birds and small mammals. The dried fruit is preserved and eaten to alleviate sun stroke and thirst.
The name Ber comes from the Sanskrit Badari. Ber trees were believed to have been growing in the region of Badrinath, high up in the Himalayas. For the Hindus, this thorny tree is lovable.

Thetree has many uses- farmers use the thorny branches to keep out atray cattle from their fields. The wood is hard, and is used to make agricultural implements.

Now we see ber fruit the size of small apples- the result of hibridization.

A very tasty sweet and sour pickle is made from the fruit.

The Nutritious Mandu ki Imli

Mandu in the Malva region of Madhya Pradesh has many unusual plants. One of them is the Mandu-ki- Imli tree which is better known as Baobab tree. The Baobab tree must have been brought to this region from Africa in antiquity, as it is not a native of India. People of the region have made good use of the highly nutritious fruit of the tree, which is locally known as Mandu ki Imli tree. The dried fruit contains seeds covered in fibrous material, which are sour to taste. They are said to contain more vitamin C than oranges.

Most of the baobab trees are huge- and some are said to be 500 years old. During the dry season, the trees store water in their trunks. The leaves of the tree are also used as a green vegetable.

This picture of the baobab tree is from Wikipedia.

Bracket fungus

I found this bracket fungus growing from the base of a Jacaranda tree. The unusual thing was , it has a plantlet growing from it. The little plantlet seemed to be the seedling of a native plant . It was quite well entrenched in the bracket.

Bracket fungi grow on trees or deadwood in the form of brackets or shelves. Some varieties eventually kill the tree. The well known Beefsteak fungus is also a Bracket fungus.

Crepe Ginger

The Crepe Ginger Costus speciosus is not a ginger at all, but a relative of the ginger family. It is a native of the forests of the Western Ghats. I found these specimens flowering in the rain-soaked forest adjoining IIT Bombay.
The crepe like part is not petals, but is the stamen of the rather insignificant flowers hidden. The plant has a curious habit of spiralling, which you can see in the picture above. When the white 'crepes' have fallen, the plant still has attractive red cones.

Like all native Indian plants, Costus speciosus is also used extensively in Ayurveda, to treat a number of diseases.