Rare Species-Ceropegia Mahabalei
Ceropegia Mahabalei Hemadri & Ansari is an accepted name of the plant species. The species botanical name is Ceropegia Mahabelei and the common name is Ralegoan Ceropegia, but a local name of plant species is Gauti Kharpudi (in Marathi). The plant species are in the genus Ceropegia from Apocynaceae family and Asclepiadaceae subfamily (milkweed family). This species is discovering by Indian Forester in 2012.
The species are a herbaceous plant known from three locations of The Western Ghats of India as Pune, Satara and Thane District of Maharashtra. It is found on open hills among grasses at high altitude of 975 meters. This communication records a new location of this species from Nasik District which is the northeasternmost record for this species. The small existing population in this new location is threatened by cattle grazing, and trampling by tourists. Ceropegia Mahabalei is an upright growing perennial; the stems grow from a subterranean tuber. The very narrow leaves are about 10 cm in length but only 5 mm wide. The flowers are 5.5-10 cm in length. The upper part of the flower is light green. The flower-tube is mottled yellowish brown, and the United petals are dark green. The inside of the flower is crimson. Ceropegia Mahabalei is endemic to The Western Ghats of India.
