Rare and endemic medicinal plant, Parsonsia alboflavescens (Dennst.) Mabb. and malabar tree nymph butterfly, Idea malabarica in Western Ghats of Karnataka

Abstract

Spiral-vined silkpod, Parsonsia alboflavescens (Dennst.) Mabb. is an important rare and endemic medicinal plant belongs to Apocynaceae which is used to treat haemorrhage of nostrils, boils, insanity, leg swellings, disinfectant, tuberculosis, vulnerary febrifuge, rheumatism, kidney problems and enhances immunity in AIDS patients. This woody climber located in undisturbed swampy forest of Hebbale village, adjacent to Bhadra river band near Kalasa town, Mudigere taluk, Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka State, India. The habitat is at latitude (DMS) 13O13´54N, longitude (DMS) 75O21´26N, altitude 789m in Western Ghats of India. The investigation was carried out during 2017-18. In this habitat, water slowly drain out from the moist hilly soil, stagnate and flow slowly in shallow manner and shade is more than 50 per cent. P. alboflavescens habitat was undisturbed, cool, moist, diversified with flora and fauna. The annual average temperature of the habitat was 25.92oC and received 838mm rain during 2017-18. There were only 58 P. alboflavescens plants in the habitat. The older P. alboflavescens climb over the trunk, canopy of tall forest trees and flowers, green pods were observed in April 2018. The stems were gray, leaves were ovate (5-13x4-8.0cm), 5-7 lateral veins and petiole length was 2.0-3.0 cm. The smaller P. alboflavescens plants can be easily uprooted and replanted successfully. The height of P. alboflavescens was relatively 0.5ft to more than 20.0 m. Idea malabarica butterfly feed on nectar, leaves of P. alboflavescens and the activity was throughout the year. Adult butterflies glide slowly over canopy of forest trees and the activity was limited only within the above described habitat. The medicinal plant P. alboflavescens is at risk and I. malabarica is also at lower risk or near threatened as per the publication of IUCN.