sigh-NAN-kum or
sigh-NANG-kum -- Greek:
kyon (dog);
anchein (to choke or strangle); refers to the historical toxic qualities of several European species within this genus that were observed to poison animals ...
compiled from the web
vim-in-AH-lee -- long, slender shoots ...
Dave's Botanary
commonly known as: caustic vine, milk rope, sacred soma, soma • Assamese: চন্দ্ৰলতা sondrolota, সোমলতা xomlota • Bengali: সোমলতা soma-lata • Gujarati: ચીરોડી chirodi, સાંઢીયાવેલ sandhiyavel, સોમવલ્લી somvalli • Hindi: सोम soma • Kachchhi: છીરવલ chhirval, કરાડવલ karadval, સાંઢીયાવલ sandhiyaval • Kannada: ಹಂಬುಕಳ್ಳಿ hambukalli, ಕೋಣನಹಂಬು konanahambu, ಸೋಮ soma, ವಸುಕಾಂತಿ vasukaanthi • Kol: कुला तुआर kula tuar • Malayalam: സോമം somam • Marathi: रानशेर ransher, सोमलता somlata • Odia: ବଡ଼ହୁଇ bada hui, ଲଟାସିଜୁ lata siju, ଶ୍ୟାମା shyamaa, ସୋମଲତା somalata • Punjabi: ਸੋਮ som • Rajasthani: खिर खींप khir khimp • Sanskrit: चन्द्रवल्लरी chandravallari, धनुर्लता dhanurlata, द्विजप्रिया dvijapriya, गुल्मवल्ली gulmavalli, इन्दुलेखा indulekha, इन्दुवल्ली induvalli, महागुल्म mahagulma, पद्मकाष्ठ padmakashtha, सोम soma, सोमक्षीरी somakshiri, सोमलता somalata, सोमार्ह somarha, सोमवल्ली somavalli, सुरेष्ट sureshta, यज्ञाङ्ग yajnanga, यज्ञश्रेष्ठ yajnashreshtha, यज्ञवल्ली yajnavalli • Sindhi: ڏُنبَرُ dumbar, ٿوهرِنجلُ thohrinjal • Tamil: கொடிக்கள்ளி kodikkalli, சோமம் somam • Telugu: దుష్టపు తీగ dustappa tiga, ఎరిపులింగ eripulinga, జిగటషుముడు jigatshumoodoo, కొరకల్లి korakalli, కాడు జెముడు kadu jemudu, కొండపాల kondapala, పద్మ కాష్ఠము padmakashtam, పుల్ల జెముడు pulla jemudu, పుల్ల తీగ pulla tige, సోమలత somalata, సోమము somamu, తీగ జెముడు theega jamudu • Tulu: ಸೋಮವಲ್ಲಿ somavalli • Urdu: سوم soma
known for / parts made use of: stems — (cladodes, most widely used part), milky sap — (latex, well-known for its caustic nature), roots — (well-known for counter-toxins), whole plant juice — (the ancient "soma" connection) ... compiled from the web
botanical names:
Cynanchum viminale (L.) L. ...
homotypic synonyms:
Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R.Br. ...
accepted infraspecific:
Cynanchum viminale subsp.
viminale ...
heterotypic synonyms:
Asclepias acida Roxb. •
Cynanchum acidum (Roxb.) Oken •
Sarcostemma acidum (Roxb.) Voigt •
Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ...
accepted infraspecific:
Cynanchum viminale subsp.
stipitaceum (Forssk.) Meve & Liede ...
homotypic synonyms:
Sarcostemma stipitaceum (Forssk.) Schult. ... and more at
POWO, retrieved August 28, 2026
Bibliography / etymology / notes
Links listed as references in the notes below, may not remain valid permanently. Portals / websites have a tendency to re-organize / revise their content, leading to change in URLs of pages in their site. Some sites may even close down at their own will. The bits about the
languages of India mentioned below are merely some bare facts gathered from the internet; just enough to satisfy curiosity about "where" could the listed names be best prevalent in India. All English transliterated names to be taken
sensu amplo.
~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~
written and spoken widely, in most parts of India
caustic vine, milk rope, sacred soma, soma
- Flowers of India ... (accessed: August 28, 2026)
- Caustic vine [↗] gets its name from the burning, milky sap inside its green stems. Breaking the stems releases a milky white latex sap that irritates human skin and eyes, and acts as a poison to livestock.
- Milk rope perfectly describes the plant's long, flexible stems and the thick white sap inside them. Milk — the stems are filled with a toxic, milky latex sap that squirts out when the plant is cut or broken. Rope — the long, leafless, cylindrical green stems intertwine and tangle together, looking exactly like green ropes draped over bushes or rocks. It behaves like a vine, using its rope-like structures to scramble across the ground or climb up nearby trees for support. ... compiled from the web.
- Sacred soma — Because the exact botanical identity of the original Vedic Soma plant was lost over thousands of years, it remains one of history’s greatest mysteries. However, Cynanchum viminale became the leading proxy. When the original, elusive Soma plant could no longer be found, ancient priests and Ayurvedic practitioners turned to Cynanchum viminale as its primary ritual and therapeutic substitute. [↗].
- In later Hindu mythology, the deity Soma became closely associated with the Moon. Cynanchum viminale is occasionally called the "Moon plant" or "Moon creeper" because its leafless, luminous grey-green stems were poetically thought to expand and contract in tune with the phases of the moon. [↗].
THE ONGOING IDENTITY DEBATE
While
Cynanchum viminale holds the official title of "
Soma" in modern Ayurveda, historians and ethnobotanists actively debate what the true, original Vedic plant actually was
Ephedra. Many scholars point to
Ephedra species, which contain stimulants that match the Vedic descriptions of providing energy, wakefulness, and drive before battle.
[↗]
~~~~~ ASSAMESE ~~~~~
written in: Assamese (অসমীয়া) ... spoken in: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya
চন্দ্ৰলতা sondrolota, সোমলতা xomlota
- for Asclepias acida Roxb. ... XOBDO - Your gateway to multilingual knowledge and resources ... (accessed: September 01, 2026)
- The Assamese name চন্দ্ৰলতা (Sondrolota) is documented in the XOBDO regional linguistic database for this species. Borrowed directly from classical Sanskrit roots, the compound literally denotes 'the crescent moon-creeper'. The inclusion proves that communities within the Brahmaputra basin structurally maintained the plant's ancestral mapping to the lunar taxonomy of the Soma lineages, serving as the primary literary vernacular title for the species in northeastern India. ... compiled from the web.
- The Assamese designation সোমলতা (Xomlota) is officially indexed in the XOBDO database for this taxon. While etymologically identical to the standard Devanagari compound Somalata, the regional phonetic profile shifts to a distinct, soft sibilant "Xomlota" native to the Brahmaputra valley. This widespread classical loanword serves as the primary literary title in the state, verifying that the regional flora continues to carry historical ties to ancient Vedic nomenclature. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ BENGALI ~~~~~
written in: Bengali (বাংলা) ... spoken in: West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
সোমলতা soma-lata
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... PRAIN, DAVID - BENGAL PLANTS - VOL. II
- সোমলতা (Somalata) — Officially documented in Sir David Prain’s foundational botanical compendium, 'Bengal Plants' (1903), under the plant's historic synonym Sarcostemma brevistigma. This inclusion demonstrates that colonial-era field botanists actively recorded the Sanskrit-derived compound সোমলতা as the recognized vernacular name used by local communities across undivided Bengal. It serves as a vital linguistic record, showing that the plant's connection to classical Vedic taxonomy was well-preserved in the eastern plains of the subcontinent. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ GUJARATI ~~~~~
written in: Gujarati (ગુજરાતી) ... spoken in: Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
ચીરોડી chirodi, સાંઢીયાવેલ sandhiyavel, સોમવલ્લી somvalli
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... વનસ્પતીઓ ના ગુજરાતી તથા બોટનીકલ નામ ની યાદી :: સંકલન કર્તા વૈધ શ્રી કે,જે,ઝાલા ... (downloaded: 19 Jan 2026)
- Documented by Vaidya Shri K. J. Jhala in his comprehensive compilation of regional botanical nomenclature, Sarcostemma brevistigma (syn. Cynanchum viminale) carries names reflecting both its physical structure and its landscape. The title સાંઢીયાવેલ (Sandhiyavel) translates literally to 'The Camel Vine', mapping its jointed stems to the long legs of desert riding-camels. The name ચીરોડી (Chirodi) references its tendency to bleed thick white latex when cut, while the classic loan-word સોમવલ્લી (Somvalli) maintains its formal script relationship to Ayurvedic text history. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ HINDI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (हिन्दी) ... spoken in: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
सोम soma
- for Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R.Br. ... Platts, John T. (John Thompson). A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English. London: W. H. Allen & Co., 1884.
- Dev, Suresh. (2017). Phytochemical and Pharmacological aspects of Sarcostemma acidum (Roxb.) Voigt. Journal of Pharmacy Research. 11. 1429-1431. ... (accessed: August 30, 2026)
- In John T. Platts' landmark 1884 trilingual dictionary, the word is beautifully tracked across parallel scripts: the Hindi सोम (soma) in Devanagari, and its direct phonological Urdu counterpart سوم (soma) in the Perso-Arabic script. Platts explicitly logs it as a masculine noun borrowed from Sanskrit, identifying it directly with the famous "moon-plant" (Sarcostemma viminale, the classic synonym of Cynanchum viminale).
~~~~~ KACHCHHI ~~~~~
written in: Gujarati (કચ્છી), Sindhi (ڪڇّي) ... spoken in: Kutch region of Gujarat
છીરવલ chhirval (or ચીરવલ chirval), કરાડવલ karadval, સાંઢીયાવલ sandhiyaval
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... કચ્છ સ્વસ્થાન ની વનસ્પતિઓ ઠાકર જયકૃષ્ણ ઇન્દ્રજી 1926 [PLANTS OF CUTCH AND THEIR UTILITY by THAKAR, JAIKRISHNA INDRAJI, 1926]
- The 1926 botanical treatise Plants of Cutch and Their Utility by Thakar Jaikrishna Indraji documents three distinct Kachchhi dialect names reflecting the plant's ecological and structural traits. The designation છીરવલ (Chhirval) derives from the Sanskrit root for milk to denote a milk-vine, કરાડવલ (Karadval) translates to cliff-face vine based on its habitat in arid rock fractures, and સાંઢીયાવલ (Sandhiyaval) indicates an association with desert camels. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ KANNADA ~~~~~
written in: Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) ... spoken in: Karnataka
ಹಂಬುಕಳ್ಳಿ hambukalli, ಸೋಮ soma
- for Sarcostemma acidum (Roxb.) Voigt ... Alar - an authoritative Kannada-English dictionary corpus created by V. Krishna
- ಹಂಬುಕಳ್ಳಿ hambukalli — The name is a literal folk-taxonomic compound. ಹಂಬು (Hambu) means a climbing vine, creeper, or traveler, while ಕಳ್ಳಿ (Kalli) is the generic regional category used for milky-sapped, leafless, or thorny desert succulents (spurges/milkweeds). ... compiled from the web.
- The Kannada name ಸೋಮ (Soma) is a direct linguistic adaptation of the ancient Sanskrit word Soma, which carries deep roots in Indian history, philosophy, and botanical taxonomy. In Kannada botanical contexts, it is frequently used interchangeably with extended variations like Somalathe (ಸೋಮಲತೆ) or Somaballi (ಸೋಮಬಳ್ಳಿ), where the suffixes -lathe and -balli explicitly describe its nature as a climbing vine or creeper. ... compiled from the web.
ಕೋಣನಹಂಬು konanahambu
ವಸುಕಾಂತಿ vasukaanthi
- Dev, Suresh. (2017). Phytochemical and Pharmacological aspects of Sarcostemma acidum (Roxb.) Voigt. Journal of Pharmacy Research. 11. 1429-1431. ... (accessed: August 30, 2026)
- for Sarcostemma acidum (Roxb.) Voigt ... Alar - an authoritative Kannada-English dictionary corpus created by V. Krishna
- An elegant linguistic connection emerges when analyzing the classical name ವಸುಕಾಂತಿ (Vasukaanthi). While 'Vasu' classically denotes solar deities or wealth, ancient lexicons (like the Monier-Williams corpus) also define 'Vasu' as a rope, thong, or rein. ಕಾಂತಿ (Kaanthi): Translates directly to "glow", "splendour", "radiance" or "brilliance". Given that this leafless succulent is globally nicknamed the 'Milk rope' due to its cord-like stems, the name వసుకాంతి (Vasukaanthi) beautifully double-serves as a poetic descriptor meaning 'the radiant rope' or 'the beautiful vine'. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ KOL ~~~~~
written in: Warang Chiti (or Barang Kshiti, Varang Kshiti), Devanagari ... spoken in: Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal ... spoken by: Kol people
कुला तुआर kula tuar
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... A forest flora of Chota Nagpur including Gangpur and the Santal-Parganahs by Haines, Henry Haselfoot, 1867-1943
- Frequently miscopied as 'Kula Thar' in pharmaceutical texts, tracking the name to H.H. Haines' 'A Forest Flora of Chota Nagpur' (1910) yields the authentic tribal name 'Kula Tuar'. By comparative analysis of Haines' records for other milky-sapped species, 'Tuar' (or Toa) is the literal Munda/Santali word for milk. Paired with 'Kula' (Tiger), the vernacular name for Cynanchum viminale brilliantly translates to 'Tiger's Milk' — a vivid ethno-botanical descriptor for the plant's thick, remarkably caustic, and toxic white latex. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ MALAYALAM ~~~~~
written in: Malayalam (മലയാളം) ... spoken in: Kerala, Lakshadweep
സോമം somam
- for Cynanchum acidum (Roxb.) Oken ... Gundert, Hermann. A Malayalam and English dictionary. Mangalore, London, C. Stolz; Trübner & Co., 1872.
- Borrowed directly from the classical Sanskrit root, the designation links the plant's distribution in the southern peninsula to historical botanical lineages. While contemporary coastal databases occasionally use the expanded variant സോമവളളി Somavalli, Gundert's early text establishes that the concise, traditional title was formally logged over a century ago to identify the species within the regional landscape. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मराठी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka
रानशेर ransher, सोमलता somlata (variant: सोमवेल somvel)
- for Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R.Br. ... Molesworth, J. T. (James Thomas). A dictionary, Marathi and English. 2d ed., rev. and enl. Bombay: Printed for government at the Bombay Education Society's press, 1857.
- Dev, Suresh. (2017). Phytochemical and Pharmacological aspects of Sarcostemma acidum (Roxb.) Voigt. Journal of Pharmacy Research. 11. 1429-1431. ... (accessed: August 30, 2026)
- The Marathi term "रानशेर" (Ransher) serves as a traditional folk compound for Sarcostemma acidum (synonym Cynanchum viminale), reflecting the plant's native scrubland habitat and morphological resemblance to leafless milk-hedges. Documentation of such vernacular terminology within regional botanical compilations highlights traditional rural categorization methods that contrast with classical Sanskrit nomenclature. ... compiled from the web.
- सोम (Soma) = Moon / Nectar of immortality; लता (Lata) / वेल (Vel) = Creeper / Vine. Literally translates to "Moon Creeper".
सोमलता (SOMLATA) vs सोमवेल (SOMVEL)
In historic Marathi lexicography, a clear botanical distinction exists between these two seemingly synonymous names. In James Thomas Molesworth’s definitive 'A Dictionary, Marathi and English', the entry for सोमलता (Somalatā) is assigned to Asclepias acida / Sarcostemma viminale, matching our target species, Cynanchum viminale. Conversely, Molesworth strictly assigns the masculine/feminine variant सोमवेल (Sōmavēla) to the night-blooming Moon-flower (Ipomoea alba). However, modern ethnobotanical studies and state forest floras have evolved to use both terms interchangeably for C. viminale, showcasing how vernacular folk names fluidly expand over generations. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ ODIA ~~~~~
written in: Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ) ... spoken in: Odisha, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
ବଡ଼ହୁଇ bada hui, ଲଟାସିଜୁ lata siju, ସୋମଲତା somalata
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... K. R. Kirtikar, Basu B. D. Indian Medicinal Plants Vol 3, 1918. ... (accessed: August 31, 2026)
- The 1918 reference work Indian Medicinal Plants by Kirtikar and Basu logs three traditional names for the region of Odisha. The standard literary designation ସୋମଲତା (Somalata) aligns with Sanskrit-derived Ayurvedic terminology. Conversely, the term Notasiju represents a colonial typographic distortion of the authentic Odia compound ଲଟାସିଜୁ (Lata Siju), which translates to climbing succulent milkweed. The entry Borohwi serves as an anglicized phonetic rendering of ବଡ଼ହୁଇ (Bada Hui), a regional colloquialism designating a large or extended wild succulent vine. ... compiled from the web.
ଶ୍ୟାମା shyamaa
- for Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R.Br. ... Praharaj, G.C. Pūrṇṇachandra Orḍiā bhāshākosha: a lexicon of the Oriya language. Cuttack: Utkal Sahitya Press, 1931-1940.
- The entry ଶ୍ୟାମା (Shyamaa) is recorded in Praharaj’s Purnachandra Odia Bhashakosha for this species. While the literal linguistic root denotes a dark or black hue — a trait contradicting the bright green, leafless morphology of Cynanchum viminale — the designation stems from traditional Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia. In historic regional medical practices, this succulent served as an approved therapeutic substitute for the true Black Creeper (Ichnocarpus frutescens), causing the classical title to be fluidly inherited by the substitute species in regional lexicons. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ PUNJABI ~~~~~
written in: Gurmukhi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) ... spoken in: Punjab
ਸੋਮ som
- for Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R.Br. ... Singh, Maya. The Panjabi dictionary. Lahore: Munshi Gulab Singh & Sons, 1895.
- The 1895 historical lexicon The Panjabi Dictionary by Bhai Maya Singh indexes ਸੋਮ (Som) as a recognized Punjabi designation. Derived directly from the classical Sanskrit root, the term tracks the species' traditional nomenclature into the fertile plains of the Indus tributaries. This inclusion provides an authentic Gurmukhi script record, demonstrating that regional Punjabi lexicography preserved the ancestral connection between this leafless succulent and the ancient lunar lineages of the Soma traditions. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ RAJASTHANI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (राजस्थानी) ... spoken in: Rajasthan
खिर खींप khir khimp
- Manju Chaudhary and S.K. Shringi - Floristic Composition of Beer Jhunjhunu Conservation Reserve of Rajasthan, India - The Biobrio 4(1 & 2), 2017 ... (downloaded: Feb 9, 2022)
- The local name "Khir-khimp" derives from a compound of the Sanskrit-derived regional word "Khir", meaning milky fluid or latex, and "Khimp", the local designation for leafless desert shrubs possessing a similar appearance. This folk-taxonomic descriptor literally translates to "the milky khimp", distinguishing this sap-bearing plant from visually identical desert look-alikes that feature clear or watery sap. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ SANSKRIT ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (संस्कृतम्) ... used all over India by priests and scholars
चन्द्रवल्लरी chandravallari, धनुर्लता dhanurlata, द्विजप्रिया dvijapriya, महागुल्म mahagulma, पद्मकाष्ठ padmakashtha, सोम soma, सोमक्षीरी somakshiri, सोमलता somalata, सोमार्ह somarha, सोमवल्ली somavalli, यज्ञाङ्ग yajnanga, यज्ञश्रेष्ठ yajnashreshtha, यज्ञवल्ली yajnavalli
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... K. R. Kirtikar, Basu B. D. Indian Medicinal Plants Vol 3, 1918. ... (accessed: August 31, 2026)
गुल्मवल्ली gulmavalli, इन्दुवल्ली induvalli
- for Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R.Br. ... Learn Sanskrit - पठत संस्कृतम् - शब्दकोशः
इन्दुलेखा indulekha, सुरेष्ट sureshta
- for Asclepias acida Roxb. ... Learn Sanskrit - पठत संस्कृतम् - शब्दकोशः
~~~~~ SINDHI ~~~~~
written in: Perso-Arabic (سِنڌِي), Gujarati (સિંધી), Devanagari (सिन्धी) ... spoken in: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
ڏُنبَرُ dumbar
- for Sarcostemma stipitaceum (Forssk.) Schult. ... Parmanand Mewaram. A Sindhi-English dictionary. Hyderabad, Sind : The Sind Juvenile Co-operative Society, 1910.
- The 1910 lexicon A Sindhi-English Dictionary by Parmanand Mewaram registers the regional name ڏُنبَرُ (Dumbar) for Sarcostemma stipitaceum. While historically classified as an independent species, modern molecular reclassifications recognize this taxon as Cynanchum viminale subsp. stipitaceum. This inclusion provides an authentic Perso-Arabic script record for the hyper-arid Indus basin, anchoring the plant's terminology within the historical flora of Sindh. ... compiled from the web.
ٿوهرِنجلُ thohrinjal
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... K. R. Kirtikar, Basu B. D. Indian Medicinal Plants Vol 3, 1918. ... (accessed: August 31, 2026)
- The definitive reference Indian Medicinal Plants by Kirtikar and Basu logs the vernacular name Thorinjal for the Sindh region. Etymological analysis reveals that the term is a compound utilizing the regional desert root Thor, which indicates a leafless, latex-bearing succulent, coupled with a dialect suffix Injal denoting a network or tangled thicket. The designation serves as an accurate folk-taxonomic description of the plant's bare, interlocking stem architecture in the arid Indus plains. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~
written in: Tamil (தமிழ்) ... spoken in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
கொடிக்கள்ளி kodikkalli
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... University of Madras. Tamil lexicon. [Madras], University of Madras, 1924-1936.
- The foundational Tamil Lexicon published by the University of Madras documents கொடிக்கள்ளி (Kodikkalli) as the traditional vernacular designation for this species. The name is an exact morphological folk compound consisting of கொடி (Kodi), meaning a climbing vine or creeper, and கள்ளி (Kalli), the generic regional classification for leafless, latex-bearing desert succulents. This folk-taxonomic term translates literally to 'the climbing milk-hedge' or 'the creeping succulent', distinguishing it from upright, shrub-like members of the same family within the dry scrub ecosystems of southern India. ... compiled from the web.
சோமம் somam
- for Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R.Br. ... Winslow, Miron. A comprehensive Tamil and English dictionary of high and low Tamil. Madras: P.R. Hunt, 1862.
- The 1862 lexicon A Comprehensive Tamil and English Dictionary by Miron Winslow documents சோமம் (Somam) as a recognized Tamil name for this species. Derived from the classical Sanskrit root, the designation explicitly links the plant's regional presence to historic botanical lineages. While contemporary wild-flora databases heavily highlight descriptive folk terms like Kodikkalli, Winslow's early colonial-era dictionary verifies that the concise, traditional title was formally cataloged over a century and a half ago to identify the species in southern India. ... compiled from the web.
~~~~~ TELUGU ~~~~~
written in: Telugu ( తెలుగు) ... spoken in: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry
దుష్టపు తీగ dustappa tiga, ఎరిపులింగ eripulinga, జిగటషుముడు jigatshumoodoo, కొరకల్లి korakalli, కాడు జెముడు kadu jemudu, కొండపాల kondapala, పద్మ కాష్ఠము padmakashtam, పుల్ల జెముడు pulla jemudu, పుల్ల తీగ pulla tige, సోమలత somalata, సోమము somamu, తీగ జెముడు theega jamudu
- for Sarcostemma brevistigma Wight & Arn. ... Flora Andhrika - Plant Wealth of Andhra Pradesh, India ... (accessed: August 31, 2026)
~~~~~ TULU ~~~~~
written in: Tigalari (Tulu) was used for writing Vedic texts in Sanskrit, Kannada (ತುಳು), Malayalam (തുളു) ... spoken in: Karnataka, north Kerala
ಸೋಮವಲ್ಲಿ somavalli
~~~~~ URDU ~~~~~
written in: Urdu (اردو) ... spoken in: Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka
سوم soma
- for Sarcostemma viminale (L.) R.Br. ... Platts, John T. (John Thompson). A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English. London: W. H. Allen & Co., 1884.
- In John T. Platts' landmark 1884 trilingual dictionary, the word is beautifully tracked across parallel scripts: the Hindi सोम (soma) in Devanagari, and its direct phonological Urdu counterpart سوم (soma) in the Perso-Arabic script. Platts explicitly logs it as a masculine noun borrowed from Sanskrit, identifying it directly with the famous "moon-plant" (Sarcostemma viminale, the classic synonym of Cynanchum viminale).
~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~
Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
~~~~~
Created on: 15:40 28-08-2026 ¦ Last updated: 13:19 01-09-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY)
~~~~~
Apocynaceae Asclepiadaceae Asclepiadoideae perennial climber "Cynanchum viminale" "Sarcostemma viminale" "Asclepias acida" "Cynanchum acidum" "Sarcostemma acidum" "Sarcostemma brevistigma" "Sarcostemma stipitaceum" "caustic vine" "milk rope" "sacred soma" "soma"
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