Red-Stemmed Wild Grape - ampelocissus indica
Common name: Red-Stemmed Wild Grape-Vine • Kannada: ಚೆಂಬಳ್ಳಿ chemballi, ತಾಮ್ರವಲ್ಲಿ tamravalli • Malayalam: ചെന്പറവള്ളി cenparavalli • Marathi: रान द्राक्ष ran draksha • Tamil: சம்பாரவல்லி campara-valli • Tulu: ಚೆಂಬಳ್ಳಿ chemballi
Synonyms
Ampelocissus arnottiana Planch.
Ampelopsis indica (L.) Bl.
Cissus indica (L.) Walp.
Vitis indica L.
Habitat
Peninsular India and Sri Lanka
Morphology
Scandent shrub; branches striate, ferruginous-wooly. Leaves simple, broadly ovate, sometimes angled, cordate at base, dentate-serrate at margin with teeth hardened at tip, acuminate at apex, coriaceous, glabrescent above, ferruginous-hairy beneath; petioles 2-8 cm long.
Inflorescences dense racemes of umbels; primary branch ca 1 cm long; racemes 3-5 x ca 1 cm; peduncles to 5 cm long; tendrils simple, ca 10 cm long.
Flowers reddish brown; pedicels ca 2 mm long. Calyx saucer-like, entire, glabrous. Petals oblong-ovate, ca 2 mm long, glabrous. Disc elongate, covering most of ovary, 5-furrowed.
Berries globose; seeds suborbicular in outline, mucronate at base, ca 7 x 5.5 mm, with a longitudinal ridge and a broad groove on either side on adaxial surface and an elliptic chalazal knot and very fine fissures radiating towards margin on abaxial surface.
This plant traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory medicinal plant. It also shows diuretic activity.
Reference
Phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation of ampelocissus
Shows gnificant anti-inflammatory activity that may be due to its inhibitory effect of histamine kinin and prostaglandins release