potaki :

Morphology:

It is a fast growing, succulent, branched, softstemmed, twining herbaceous vine, reaching 10 m in length.

Stem : Green

Leaves: : Green in colour, glossy surface, somewhat fleshy, ovate or heartshaped, 5 to 12 cm long, stalked, tapering to a pointed tip with a cordate base.

Flowers: : The inconspicuous bisexual pinkish white or violet cluster flowers are borne on spikes or branching peduncles. Spikes are axillary, solitary, 5 to 29 cm long. Flower type is hermaphrodite about 4 mm long.

Fruit & Seed : Fleshy, stalk less, ovoid or nearly spherical, 5 to 6 mm long and purple when mature, It is a simple true fruit with many seeds

Histology:

Bracteoles are acute. Stamens are included with short filaments and cordate anthers. Ovary is unilocular. Fruit is black or dark purple coloured and enclosed within the persistent fleshy calyx. Seeds are black, globose and indehiscent

Website Administrator

This article is incomplete. If you feel you can make a contribution, please let us know by sending email to mail@ayushvedah.com, we may consider your request. Thank you.