Chronicles of common flowers

Indigenous Indian names for dayflowers present lyrical echoesmdashan intimate connection between language and landscape Jal bhu Krishna ghas ekbeeji kena daldali kena osboond phool underline the Hindi prosody whereas bechka and badishep evoke Marathi phonetics Arale hullu calls forth Kannada Kanchat lends itself so much to a Konkani rhythm Each word is not just a local substitute for a dayflower variety it forms part of a rich lexicon which reflects the enduring everyday presence of dayflowers in the Indian subcontinentNo wonder why these common ephemeral halfday flowers find their way into the maalraan grasslands described in Bahinabai Chaudharirsquos 16281700 abhangs and Vinda Karandikarrsquos poems Modernday travelogues in Maharashtra document the bloom of wildflowers in Tamhini and Malshej ghat The floral riches on the Kaas Plateau have mesmerised various authors like social activist Anil Awachat and ecologist Madhav GadgilThe Commelina badamica and its habitatLike dayflowers their local names too have a vibrant connect with Indiarsquos collective heritage that transcends regional divides It is precisely this uniting power of these common flowers that prompted Dr Mayur Nandikar to make a special appeal to readers to contribute to a repository of names folk lore limericks family customs and allied information on Commelinaceae dayflowers plants The famous botanist has just released a taxonomic revision and field guide titled Commelinaceae of India designed and published by Parambi Plant Research and Education Foundation Pune The 220page journalsized colourful book written by Dr Nandikar in association with Dr Rajaram V Gurav is dedicated to ldquoplant taxonomists and fellow enthusiasts who appreciate the silent stories that nature tells through its pressed and preserved treasuresrdquoThe authors relied on extensive visits to natural habitats museums with herbarium specimens biodiversity facilities and botanical gardens to study the ecology cytology threat status and diversity of the transient blooms The deep exploration shows in the line drawings of the fascinating morphology of the family reflecting growth habits and details like stamens and seedsBritish botanist Dr Henry Noltie praises the book as ldquoa magnificent monograph of the Indian members of the Commelinaceae familyrdquo with commendable photographic documentation especially considering the fact that the dayflower beauties are underdocumented in India despite being highly endemic to Western India The book therefore addresses a gap in academia and also attracts lay readersOver 100 colourful illustrations and photos capture day flowers from different corners of IndiamdashCyanotis karliana first discovered around the Karla caves Commelina benghalensis with the Bengal connection and Murdannia saddle peakensis reminiscent of the national park terrain in Andamans The field guide awakens us to the wilderness of earthy dayflowers which add to our surrounding beauty also delink us from the exotic exported variety of flowers we vie for It invites us to the roofs of coastal houses in Konkan hilly areas of Vishakhapatnam margins of the Lohit forest division and along the banks of the Kukadi river valley near JunnarCyanotis AdscendensA culmination of Dr Nandikarrsquos 15 yearlong research the book updates information on African and South East Asian Commelinaceae focusing of course on nomenclatural and taxonomic novelties in India It accounts for 131 recognised taxa covering 516 binomialsmdashplants described in genus name tagged with descriptive species name The book brings nomenclatural clarity to the taxamdashfor instance like Murdannia sahyadrica which is named after the Sahyadri hill range a biodiverse hotspot The taxonomic novelty found in abundance on Sinhagad and the Morjai plateau was earlier slotted as a species Dr Nandikar and Dr Gurav recategorised it as a subspecies under Murdannia semiteresUnfortunately Murdannia sahyadrica doesnrsquot have an identifiable local name itrsquos colloquially called Sahyadri dew flower ldquoI am hopeful one day I will find some local anecdote around it After all whatrsquos a flower without a local addressrdquo says the indefatigable Dr Nandikar who completed his doctorate in Taxonomic Revision of Indian Spiderwort Commelinaceae in 2013 His postdoctoral fellowship at Goa University revolved around the genus Grewia flowering plantDictyospermum ovatumHe says that the fleeting dayflower beauties are underrated medicinal wonders which offer numerous untapped health benefits The cleistogamous weedy Commelina benghalensis Kena in Marathi also called catrsquos ear because of its two conspecific petals produce underground flowers and fruits Their leaves are cooked in vegetables or added to crunchy fritters The species has been a food source historically but is also used in the treatment of stomach disorders headache snake bite and leprosy Commelina diffusa helps in managing urinary disorders and bladder infection Cyanotis tuberosa treats worm infestations in cattle its root paste has curative powers for liver issues The fungicidal agent in Murdannia simplex is welldemonstrated The book brings alive the easytoget restorative plants provided we care to locate them Many flowers are added as flavours and colours to savories and salads Some flower petals infuse pep into herbal teas and tonicsThe humble dayflower bloom also has a precious connection with the monsoon which Commelinaceae of India vividly illustrates For instance Murdannia edulis a widespread dew flower with a thick tuberous root sprouts immediately after the premonsoon showers or summer rains on the open moist forest floor and in the form of undergrowth in partial shades Its seeds disperse during the heavy July rains The lilacblue flowers which seem like a carpet on the dry floor are a sight to watch at Borivalirsquos Sanjay Gandhi National Park Interestingly the species prevailed on elevations like in the Himalayas it was first identified by British botanist John Forbes Royle who chose the name Murdannia in honour of Murdan Ali a plant collector and keeper of the Saharanpur herbarium The journey of the species from the Himalayas to Mumbai is illuminating equally fascinating is African species Commelina imberbis an African species now seen at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Belgaum thanks to minority ethnic groups in India with African descentDr Mayur NandikarCommelinaceae plants in India have adapted well to the monsoons The abundant pour in the monsoons supports the flowering and seed production of the flowering plants such as Murdannia dimorphia or Cyanotis fasciculata in fact the species have developed strategies to maximise their reproductive success during the rains they exhibit synchronised flowering to ensure crosspollination also they produce seeds that can withstand the dry season A rare and interesting Commelinaceae in the Western Ghats which births live during heavy rainfall months is Belosynapsis vivipara The plant germinates on the mosscovered tree trunk of the mother plantWhile the book is written by two botanists it is meant for anyone who cares about a deeper cultural connection with the transient flowers of lifeSumedha RaikarMhatre is a culture columnist in search of the subtext You can reach her at sumedharaikarmiddaycom