Names of Plants in India

Tuesday, 18 August 2026

Cosmostigma cordatum (Poir.) M.R.Almeida

KOZ-moh-STIG-muh -- Greek: kosmos (ornament); stigma, which in botany refers to the receptive tip of a carpel ... compiled from the web
kor-DAY-tum -- heart-shaped, referring to leaves ... Dave's Botanary

commonly known as: green milkweed creeper • Gujarati: શેંદવેલ shendvel • Kannada: ಘರ ಹೂವು ಗಿಡ ghara hoovu gida • Konkani: बैल दोडकी bail dodki, घारफुली gharphuli, मरोय maroy, सूतकांती sutakanti • Malayalam: വട്ടോളം vattolam, വട്ടുവള്ളി vattuvalli • Marathi: जटी jati, मारवेल marvel, शेंडवेल shendvel • Mundari: जटी jati • Tamil: கருத்தங்கண்ணி karuththangkanni, பெரும் காகமுகன் கொடி perum kaakamugan kodi • Telugu: అడవి తమలపాకు adavi tamalapaaku • Tulu: ಮಲ್ಲ ಪೆತ್ತತಜಂಕ್ malla petthathajanku, ಮಿರೆ ಬಾಪುಥ ತಪ್ಪು mire baaputha thappu, ಪೇರ್ ಕುಜುಂಬೆ peru kujumbe

known for / parts made use of: the leaves and roots (medicinal) ... compiled from the web.

botanical names: Cosmostigma cordatum (Poir.) M.R.Almeida ... homotypic synonyms: Periploca cordata Poir. ... heterotypic synonyms: Asclepias racemosa Roxb. • Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... and more at POWO, retrieved August 16, 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

green milkweed creeper

Flowers of India ... (accessed: August 15, 2026)

~~~~~ GUJARATI ~~~~~

written in: Gujarati (ગુજરાતી) ... spoken in: Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu

શેંદવેલ shendvel

for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... વનસ્પતીઓ ના ગુજરાતી તથા બોટનીકલ નામ ની યાદી :: સંકલન કર્તા વૈધ શ્રી કે,જે,ઝાલા ... (downloaded: 19 Jan 2026)
This name શેંદવેલ shendvel is an exact cognate of the Marathi Shendvel (शेंडवेल). It translates directly to "The vine with trailing top-shoots", describing the way its young tendrils stretch out over forest canopies. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ KANNADA ~~~~~

written in: Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) ... spoken in: Karnataka

ಘರ ಹೂವು ಗಿಡ ghara hoovu gida

for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... Subrahmanya, Prasad K - Exploration and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga - a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... S G Narsimhachar - Latin and Kannada names of indigenous and medicinal plants of Mysore - Mandayam Digital Library ... (downloaded: Nov 27, 2020)
ಘರ (Ghara) – meaning "house"; ಹೂವು (Hoovu) – meaning "flower"; ಗಿಡ (Gida) – meaning "plant" or "shrub". The name literally tanslates to "House Flower Plant". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ KONKANI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (कोंकणी) / Kannada (ಕೊಂಕಣಿ) / Malayalam (കൊങ്കണി) / Perso-Arabic (کونکنی) / Romi (Konknni) ... spoken in: Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat

बैल दोडकी bail dodki, घारफुली gharphuli, मरोय maroy, सूतकांती sutakanti

for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... Dalgado, Daniel Gelanio. Flora de Goa e Savantvadi: catalogo methodico das plantas medicinaes, alimentares e industriaes. Portugal, Imprensa Nacional, 1898. ... (downloaded: 21 Sept 2020)
for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... V D Vartak (1966) - Enumeration of plants from Gomantak India with a note on botanical excursions to the Castlerock area :: Chapter 5 :: Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
बैल दोडकी (Bail dodki) — While the domestic दोडकी (dodki = Ridge Gourd) is a tender kitchen vegetable, Cosmostigma cordatum (syn. C. racemosum) is a wild forest climber of the milkweed family (Apocynaceae) that exudes a thick, bitter, milky sap. The plant produces massive, thick, oblong, pale-green pods (follicles) that grow in pairs. When hanging from the forest canopy, these large, blunt, ribbed pods look strikingly similar to stocky ridge gourds.In Indian folk botany, prefixes like "बैल" (Bail = Bullock) or "रान" (Ran = Wild) are systematically applied to plant names to signify two key traits: "massive scale" or "inedibility". Labeling this species "बैल दोडकी" serves as an ecological warning to the community that this is a tough, wild gourd-lookalike meant strictly for external medicinal applications, rather than the human cooking pot. ... compiled from the web.
घारफुली (Gharphuli) is likely a descriptive folk name based on the plant's growth habit and appearance. In both Konkani and Marathi, घार (Ghar) means a "Kite" (the predatory bird known for soaring at impressive heights), while फुली (Phuli) means "blooming" or "flowering." The name loosely translates to "Kite Flower", referencing the plant's vigorous, high-climbing nature as it scales tall forest trees. ... compiled from the web.
The name मरोय maroy stems directly from the foundational Konkani and Marathi root verb मुरडणे (Muradane) or मरोडणे (Marodane), which means "to twist," "to twine," "to turn," or "to wring." When a root verb transitions into a colloquial Konkani noun to describe a forest vine, it shifts phonetically into मरोय (Maroy), translating literally to "The Twisted One" or "The Twister Vine". ... compiled from the web.
सूत (Suta) = "thread", "silk" or "yarn"; कांती (Kanti) = "brilliance", "lustre", "glowing beauty" or "aura"."Sutakanti" literally translates to "The Glowing Thread". When the large pods of Cosmostigma cordatum split open in the winter sun, hundreds of seeds escape into the wind. Each individual seed is crowned with a dense, shimmering, snow-white tuft of long, silky hairs. As they catch the sunlight and drift through the forest canopy, they do not just look like random fluff — they literally glow with a brilliant, silky lustre. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ MALAYALAM ~~~~~

written in: Malayalam (മലയാളം) ... spoken in: Kerala, Lakshadweep

വട്ടോളം vattolam, വട്ടുവള്ളി vattuvalli

വിക്കിപീഡിയ - സ്വതന്ത്രസർവ്വവിജ്ഞാനകോശം ... Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia ... (accessed: August 16, 2026)
വട്ടം (Vattam) — meaning "circle", "round" or "circular"; ഓല (Ola) / ഇല (Ila) — meaning "Leaf". The name literally translates to "Round Leaf" implying "Round-leaved Plant". ... compiled from the web.
വട്ടു (Vattu) is a colloquial variation of the root word വട്ടം (Vattam), which means "circle", "round" or "circular". വള്ളി (Valli) is the native Malayalam word, while വല്ലീ (Valli) — the Sanskritized/Classical variant; "Valli" means a creeping/climbing plant. Thus literally translating to "Round-leaved Climber". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (मराठी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka

जटी jati

Many thanks to Swagat Thorat for help with this name ... eFloraofIndia
जटी jati — derived as a smaller, diminutive version of जटा (Jata), meaning "matted hair". This is a direct native reference to the plant's flat seeds, which are attached to dense, silky white hair tufts (comose seeds) that resemble tiny locks of hair when the seed pods split open.

HISTORICAL VARIANTS IN LITERATURE

जती Jati (BNHS, 1887[↗] ); जाती Jati (Maharashtra State Gazetteer [↗] )

The 1887 BNHS Record: जती (Jati) — The British recorded it phonetically as "Jati". Lacking Devanagari script markers, later editors back-translated the soft English "t" into a Marathi त instead of the correct retroflex ट. ... compiled from the web.

The Government Gazetteer Record: जाती (Jati) — A later hyper-correction. Editors assuming "जती" was a typo for the well-known word "जाती" (class/species/wild jasmine) elongated the vowel to make it look grammatically standard in text. ... compiled from the web.

मारवेल marvel (or मारवेळ maravel), शेंडवेल shendvel (or शेंडवल shendval)

FRLHT's ENVIS Centre on Medicinal Plants ... (accessed: August 16, 2026)
Date, Yasavanta Ramakrshna. Maharashtra sabdakosa. Pune: Maharashtra Kosamandala, 1932-1950.
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.
In coastal Maharashtra, माड (Mad) specifically means a palm tree (or colloquially, any tall tree). Heavy, woody climbers like Cosmostigma cordatum grow by forcefully winding around tree trunks to reach the forest canopy. In local dialects, a vine that aggressively climbs high onto a Mad or a tree top is referred to as a माड-वेल (Mad-vel), which phonetically evolved and smoothed out over generations into मारवेल (Marvel) or मारवेळ (Marvel). ... compiled from the web.
शेंडा (Shenda) — meaning the "topmost shoot", "tip", "apex" or "trailing sprout" of a plant; वेल (Vel) — meaning a "climbing vine" or "creeper". "Shendvel" literally translates to "The creeper with prominent/extensive trailing top-shoots". This is highly accurate for Cosmostigma, which launches long, leafless, twining tendril-tips high into the forest canopy before the foliage completely unravels. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ MUNDARI ~~~~~

written in: Mundari Bani, Odia, Devanagari, Bengali, Latin ... spoken in: Jharkhand, Odisha

जटी jati

for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... Das, Prabhat & Das, Mohini & Sahu, Chinmayee & Rath, Sakti & Kumar, Sanjeet. (2020). Diversity of Climbers of Odisha ... (downloaded: Dec 22, 2021)
जटी Jati — Finding the name Jati used by the Munda tribe of Odisha provides a breathtaking cross-continental link. It perfectly mirrors the true native field name जटी (Jati) used by the forest-dwelling communities of Maharashtra. This demonstrates that across different language families and geographic divides, the plant's distinctive visual traits — namely its deeply matted, rope-like climbing habits or its hair-tufted, silky seed bundles—inspired tribal communities across India to independently use the exact same linguistic descriptor. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~

written in: Tamil (தமிழ்) ... spoken in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

கருத்தங்கண்ணி karuththangkanni, பெரும் காகமுகன் கொடி perum kaakamugan kodi

for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... Yercaud Ilango - Tamil names of Botanical names ... (downloaded: Jun 23, 2022)
கருத்தங்கண்ணி (Karuththangkanni) — This name translates conceptually to "The Highly Potent/Curing Twining Vine". It combines கருத்தம் (Karuththam), referencing intense therapeutic value or medical focus, with கண்ணி (Kanni), which signifies a looping garland or climbing vine. In regional Siddha medicine, this name highlights the creeper's reputation as a highly valued, essential remedy for healing chronic wounds, ulcers, and internal digestive disorders. ... compiled from the web.
பெரும் காகமுகன் கொடி (Perum kaakamugan kodi) — Visually spectacular, this name translates literally to "The Large Crow-Beaked Vine". It is a compound of பெரும் (Perum = Large), காகமுகன் (Kaakamugan = Crow-faced or Crow-beaked), and கொடி (Kodi = Climber). This name is an artistic visual descriptor of the plant's massive, paired seed pods. As they hang in tandem from forest canopies, these thick, oblong, and slightly curved follicles taper sharply at the apex, looking exactly like the prominent, curved beak of a large crow. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ TELUGU ~~~~~

written in: Telugu ( తెలుగు) ... spoken in: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry

అడవి తమలపాకు adavi tamalapaaku

for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... Herbarium JCB - Flora of Peninsular India ... (accessed: August 18, 2026)
అడవి తమలపాకు (Adavi Tamalapaaku) — Derived from అడవి (Adavi = wild) and తమలపాకు (Tamalapaaku = betel leaf), this name translates literally to "The Wild Betel Leaf". It is a vivid morphological descriptor based on the plant's wide, glossy, heart-shaped leaves and twining climbing habit, which look remarkably identical to the cultivated betel vine (Piper betle) when viewed stretching across forest canopies. Labeling it "అడవి" (Wild) warns locals that despite the uncanny visual resemblance to their favorite kitchen leaf, this forest vine yields a completely different, highly potent medicinal profile and a milky sap. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ TULU ~~~~~

written in: Tigalari (Tulu) was used for writing Vedic texts in Sanskrit, Kannada (ತುಳು), Malayalam (തുളു) ... spoken in: Karnataka, north Kerala

ಮಲ್ಲ ಪೆತ್ತತಜಂಕ್ malla petthathajanku, ಮಿರೆ ಬಾಪುಥ ತಪ್ಪು mire baaputha thappu

for Cosmostigma racemosum Wight ... Subrahmanya, Prasad K - Exploration and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga - a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
ಮಲ್ಲ ಪೆತ್ತತಜಂಕ್ (Malla petthathajanku) — A compound of ಮಲ್ಲ (Malla = Large) and ಪೆತ್ತತಜಂಕ್ (Petthathajanku = Cattle Herb). In Tulu folklore, Petthathajanku is strictly the name for Wattakaka volubilis, so named because its leaves are traditionally applied to treat yoke-ulcers on the shoulders of cattle (Pettha). Because Cosmostigma cordatum belongs to the same family and exhibits identical climbing features but showcases significantly larger leaves and fruit structures, local foragers naturally designated it as ಮಲ್ಲ ಪೆತ್ತತಜಂಕ್, meaning "The Larger Wattakaka". ... compiled from the web.
ಮಿರೆ ಬಾಪುಥ ತಪ್ಪು (Mire baaputha thappu) — ಮಿರೆ (Mire = Udder/Breast) + ಬಾಪುಥ (Baaputha = Relating to swelling/inflammation) + ತಪ್ಪು (Thappu = Leaf). Translating literally to "The Leaf for Udder Swelling", this name completely bypasses the plant's visual traits to highlight its vital role in traditional veterinary medicine. In the coastal dairy communities of Tulunadu, the thick leaves of this climber are crushed into a potent medicinal paste and applied externally to treat mastitis (udder inflammation) in cattle — acting as a fast-acting, anti-inflammatory poultice to reduce swelling and ease the animal's pain. ... compiled from the web.

ಪೇರ್ ಕುಜುಂಬೆ peru kujumbe

Karnataka Biodiversity Board, 2019. FLORA OF KARNATAKA, A Checklist, Volume – 2: Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. 1 - 1002 (Published by Karnataka Biodiversity Board) ... (downloaded: Oct 4, 2020)
ಪೇರ್ ಕುಜುಂಬೆ (Peru kujumbe) — ಪೇರ್ (Peru = Milk/Milky Sap) + ಕುಜುಂಬೆ (Kujumbe = Tangled cluster/clump). Translating literally to "The Milky Tangled Vine", this name perfectly describes two core traits of the species. The prefix Peru marks its family membership as a producer of copious, sticky white latex, while Kujumbe graphically details its growth habit in the wild, where the heavy stems twist intricately into dense, knotted, rope-like clumps across forest thickets. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~

Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu

Hassler, Michael (1994 - 2026): World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. Version 26.08; last update Aug. 2nd, 2026. Last accessed 16/08/2026 (dd/mm/yyyy).

~~~~~ Created on: 13:33 16-08-2026 ¦ Last updated: 17:41 18-08-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~

Saturday, 15 August 2026

Ceropegia maccannii Ansari

seer-oh-PEEJ-ee-uh -- from the Greek keros (wax) and pege (fountain) ... Dave's Botanary
muhk-KAN-ee-eye -- named for Charles McCann, an eminent British-Indian naturalist, systematic botanist ... compiled from the web

commonly known as: yellow-head grey ceropegia • Marathi: पिवळी खरचुडी pivli kharchudi

known for / parts made use of: roots and tubers (edible, medicinal); because the plant is Critically Endangered, any modern collection from the wild is highly discouraged ... compiled from the web.

botanical names: Ceropegia maccannii Ansari ... and more at POWO, retrieved August 15, 2026

Bibliography / etymology / notes

~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~

written and spoken widely, in most parts of India

yellow-head grey ceropegia

for want of name, name coined by Flowers of India ... (accessed: August 15, 2026)

~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (मराठी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka

पिवळी खरचुडी pivli kharchudi

Flowers of Sahyadri by Shrikant Ingalhalikar, the first among the three field guides to identify plants of northern Western Ghats of India, based on flowers

~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~

Maharashtra; narrow endemic

Plants of the World Online

~~~~~ Created on: 10:22 15-08-2026 ¦ Last updated: 11:39 15-08-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~

Ceropegia jainii Ansari & B.G.P.Kulk.

seer-oh-PEEJ-ee-uh -- from the Greek keros (wax) and pege (fountain) ... Dave's Botanary
JAY-nee-ee -- named in honour of the Indian botanist Dr. S.K. Jain, well known as the "Father of Indian Ethnobotany" ... compiled from the web

commonly known as: jaini ceropegia • Marathi: जैनी खरचुडी jaini kharchudi

known for / parts made use of: underground tubers (edible) ... compiled from the web.

botanical names: Ceropegia jainii Ansari & B.G.P.Kulk. ... synonyms: no known synonyms ... POWO, retrieved August 14, 2026

Bibliography / etymology / notes

~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~

written and spoken widely, in most parts of India

jaini ceropegia

for want of name, name coined by Flowers of India ... (accessed: August 14, 2026)

~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (मराठी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka

जैनी खरचुडी jaini kharchudi

Flowers of Sahyadri by Shrikant Ingalhalikar, the first among the three field guides to identify plants of northern Western Ghats of India, based on flowers

~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~

Karnataka, Maharashtra; endemic

Hassler, Michael (1994 - 2026): World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. Version 26.08; last update Aug. 2nd, 2026. Last accessed 15/08/2026 (dd/mm/yyyy).

~~~~~ Created on: 23:21 14-08-2026 ¦ Last updated: 08:52 15-08-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~

Friday, 14 August 2026

Ceropegia attenuata Hook.

seer-oh-PEEJ-ee-uh -- from the Greek keros (wax) and pege (fountain) ... Dave's Botanary
at-ten-yoo-AY-tuh -- thin, weak ... Dave's Botanary

commonly known as: tender ceropegia • Marathi: सडा खांतुडी sada khantudi

known for / parts made use of: the tuber (edible), the leaves (phytochemical value), the entire aerial herb (host plant for the larvae of the striped tiger butterfly) ... compiled from the web.

botanical names: Ceropegia attenuata Hook. ... and more at POWO, retrieved August 14, 2026

Bibliography / etymology / notes

~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~

written and spoken widely, in most parts of India

tender ceropegia

for want of name, name coined by Flowers of India ... (accessed: August 14, 2026)

~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (मराठी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka

सडा खांतुडी sada khantudi

Further Flowers of Sahyadri by Shrikant Ingalhalikar, the second among the three field guides to identify plants of northern Western Ghats of India, based on flowers
Sada (सडा): In traditional Marathi lexicons, this denotes an elevated, windswept rocky plateau (particularly lateritic formations), which serves as the primary, preferred micro-habitat for Ceropegia attenuata. Khantudi (खांतुडी): This is a generic vernacular name traditionally applied to Ceropegia species by local communities in the region. ... compiled from the web.
Orthographic variants of खांतुडी: खांतूडी / खानतुडी / खंतुडी / खंटुडी ... collected from the web.

~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~

Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra. Strictly endemic to India — restricted to the northern and central Western Ghats and adjacent coastal stretches.

Hassler, Michael (1994 - 2026): World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. Version 26.08; last update Aug. 2nd, 2026. Last accessed 14/08/2026 (dd/mm/yyyy).

~~~~~ Created on: 13:19 14-08-2026 ¦ Last updated: 20:17 14-08-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~

Thursday, 13 August 2026

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don

kat-uh-RANTH-us -- pure (immaculate) flower ... Dave's Botanary
RO-zee-us -- rosy ... Dave's Botanary

commonly known as: Madagascar periwinkle, periwinkle, rosy periwinkle, vinca • Assamese: নয়নতৰা noyontora • Bengali: নযনতাৰা nayantara • Bodo: गारमाय फुल garmai phul • Dogri: सदा सुहागन sada suhagan • Garo: giting bibal • Gujarati: બારમાસી barmaasi, સદાફૂલી sadaphuli • Hajong: চৰণতলা ফুল charantola phul • Haryanvi: सदाबहार sadabahar • Hindi: सदाबहार sadabahar • Kannada: ಬಟ್ಲ ಹೂವು batla hoovu, ಕೆಂಪು ಕಾಸಿಕಣಗಿಲು kempu kaasikanagilu, ನಿತ್ಯಪುಷ್ಪ nithyapushpa, ಸದಾಪುಷ್ಪ sadaapushpa, ತುರುಕು ಮಲ್ಲಿಗೆ turuku mallige • Kashmiri: گُلفرٛنگ गुलफ़्रिंग gulfering • Konkani: सदाफुली sadaphuli, सदापुष्पा sadapushpa • Kumaoni: सदाबहार sadabahar • Lodhi: सदा सवागाओं sada sawagaon • Malayalam: നിത്യകല്യാണി nithyakalyaani, ശവംനാറി shavamnaari • Malvani: सदानन sadanana • Marathi: सदाफुली sadaphuli • Mizo: kumtluang • Nepali: बाह्रमासे फूल baahramaase phool, नयन तारा nayan taaraa, सदाबहार sadaabahaar, सदाफूली sadaaphooli • Odia: ଆଇଁଷକାତି ainshakati, ସଦା ବିହାରୀ sada bihari • Pahari: सदाबहार sadabahar • Persian: گُلِ فرنگ gul-e-farang • Punjabi: ਰਤਣਜੋਤ ratanjot • Rabha: আফে নেকেন aphe neken • Rajasthani: सदाबहार sadabahar • Tamil: சுடுகாட்டுப்பூ cutukattuppu, நயனதாரா nayanthaaraa, நித்தியகலியாணி nittiya-kaliyani, துலுக்கமல்லிகை tulukka-mallikai • Telugu: బిళ్ళ గన్నేరు billa ganneru, నిత్య కళ్యాణి nithya kalyani • Tulu: ನಿತ್ಯಪುಷ್ಪೊ nithyapushpo

known for / parts made use of: leaves, roots, flowers, whole plant (medicinal, ornamental, flowers for worship) ... compiled from the web

botanical names: Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don ... homotypic synonyms: Vinca rosea L. ... and more at POWO, retrieved August 11, 2026

Bibliography / etymology / notes

~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~

written and spoken widely, in most parts of India

Madagascar periwinkle, periwinkle, rosy periwinkle, vinca

Flowers of India ... (accessed: August 11, 2026)
Madagascar periwinkle — this is the most accurate common name. It correctly identifies the plant's native origin. Rosy periwinkle — this name distinguishes this pink/purple species from the true European periwinkle (Vinca minor), which is typically blue. Periwinkle — this is the general, everyday name; regular people and gardeners use it most often. Vinca — this is crucial for trade and horticulture. Nurseries and gardeners in India almost exclusively sell and refer to this plant as "Vinca". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ ASSAMESE ~~~~~

written in: Assamese (অসমীয়া) ... spoken in: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya

নয়নতৰা noyontora

for Vinca rosea L. ... XOBDO - Your gateway to multilingual knowledge and resources ... (accessed: August 11, 2026)
Deka, Dipali (2007) - Ethno medico botanical study of certain tribes of Goalpara district, Assam :: Chapter 5 - Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
Noyon (নয়ন) meaning "eye"; Tora (তৰা) meaning "star". Literally translated, it means "Star of the Eye" or the "Apple of the Eye" (used to describe someone or something very dear and deeply loved). ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ BENGALI ~~~~~

written in: Bengali (বাংলা) ... spoken in: West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

নযনতাৰা nayantara

Paramita Maity and G.G.Maiti - Innovative Practices of Medicinal Uses of Cultivated Garden Plants by the Peoples of Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal. - International Research Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences • ISSN: 2455-6718 : RNI : WBENG/2016/76189 • Vol.4 • 2019 pp 18-35. ... (downloaded: August 13, 2026)
নযনতাৰা (Nayantara) - literally translates to "Star of the Eye", used to describe someone or something very dear and deeply loved. Nayan (নযন) meaning "eye"; Tara (তাৰা) meaning "star". ... compiled from the web.
চিরবসন্ত (Chirabasanta) — literally translates to "The Eternal Spring", highlighting the plant's resilient, permanent, year-round bloom cycle. চির (Chira) = eternal; বসন্ত (basanta). ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ BODO ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari or Latin ... spoken in: Assam ... other names for this language: Boro

गारमाय फुल garmai phul

for Vinca rosea L. ... XOBDO - Your gateway to multilingual knowledge and resources ... (accessed: August 11, 2026)
Deka, Dipali (2007) - Ethno medico botanical study of certain tribes of Goalpara district, Assam :: Chapter 5 - Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
गारमाय (garmai) — in the Bodo language, the word Garmai (or closely related roots) is fundamentally connected to "heat", "summer", or the season when the weather gets warm; फुल (phul) — meaning "flower". Catharanthus roseus thrives effortlessly under the blazing tropical sun when other delicate garden flowers wither away. By naming it garmai phul, the Bodo people beautifully classified it by its primary trait: "The Flower of the Summer Heat". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ DOGRI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (डोगरी) ... spoken in: Jammu & Kashmir ... spoken by the Dogras

सदा सुहागन sada suhagan

Many thanks to OM Prakash Vidyarthi for help with this name ... facebook
सदा (Sada) — means "always" or "forever"; सुहागन (Suhagan) — refers to "a married woman whose husband is alive", traditionally symbolizing a state of marital bliss, protection, and complete adornment. The absolute center of the natural pink/rose variety of the flower features a sharp, bright, contrasting crimson-red or deep pink "eye". To local folks, this striking red center looked exactly like the sindoor or bindi of a married woman. Because the plant blooms nonstop, day after day, it is viewed as a woman who is "forever adorned" and never loses her auspicious bridal glow. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ GARO ~~~~~

written in: Roman, Bengali-Assamese, A-Chik Tok'birim ... spoken in: Meghalaya, Assam

giting bibal

Deka, Dipali (2007) - Ethno medico botanical study of certain tribes of Goalpara district, Assam :: Chapter 5 - Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
Giting or Gittang typically denotes something "ever-fresh"; Bibal — meaning "flower". Thus "The Ever-Fresh Flower" meaning its resilient, year-round blooming nature. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ GUJARATI ~~~~~

written in: Gujarati (ગુજરાતી) ... spoken in: Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu

બારમાસી barmaasi, સદાફૂલી sadaphuli

Biological Diversity of Gujarat - published by Gujarat Ecology Commission ... (downloaded: Dec 16, 2020)
S Rajendra Kumar, S Kalavathy (2010) - Floristic status and its conservation in the forests of the north Gujarat region (NGR) Gujarat, India :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
બારમાસી barmaasi — this name translates to "All Year Round" or "Everbloomer". બાર (Bar) — means "Twelve"; માસી (maasi) — meaning "monthly". ... compiled from the web.
સદાફૂલી sadaphuli translates directly to "The Constantly Flowering One". સદા (Sada) — means "always" or "constantly"; ફૂલી (Phuli) — means "flowering" or "bearing blossoms". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ HAJONG ~~~~~

written in: Bengali-Assamese (হাজং), Latin ... spoken in: Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal

চৰণতলা ফুল charantola phul

Deka, Dipali (2007) - Ethno medico botanical study of certain tribes of Goalpara district, Assam :: Chapter 5 - Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
চৰণ (Choron) — means "feet" or "divine feet" (borrowed from Sanskrit); তলা (Tola) — means "underneath" or "at the base"; ফুল (Phul) — means "flower". The name literally translates to "The Flower at the Base of the Divine Feet". The Hajong people are traditionally a deeply devout agrarian community settled across southwestern Assam and the West Garo Hills of Meghalaya. One of their most sacred places of worship is the historic Charantala Temple [↗] in the West Garo Hills. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ HARYANVI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (हरियाणवी or हरयाणवी) ... spoken in: Haryana, Delhi

सदाबहार sadabahar

Department of Bio Sciences, Maharshi Dayanand University (2002) - Medicinal plants of some districts of Haryana an ethnobotanical survey :: Chapter 4 - Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET ... (downloaded: Feb 9, 2022)
सदाबहार sadabahar translates to "Everbloomer" or "flowering in all the seasons". सदा (Sada) — meaning "always" or "ever"; बहार (Bahar) — meaning "in bloom" or "in flowering". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ HINDI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (हिन्दी) ... spoken in: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand

सदाबहार sadabahar

Wagh, Vijay & Jain, Ashok. (2014). Floristic Diversity of Jhabua District, Madhya Pradesh, India. 6. 146-167. 10.5829/idosi.ajps.2013.6.4.1116. ... (downloaded: Nov 12, 2024)
सदा (Sada) — meaning "always" or "ever"; बहार (Bahar) — meaning "in bloom" or "in flowering". The name literally means "Everbloomer" or "flowering in all the seasons". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ KANNADA ~~~~~

written in: Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) ... spoken in: Karnataka

ಬಟ್ಲ ಹೂವು batla hoovu

for Vinca rosea L. ... Kittel, Ferdinand. Kittel's Kannada-English dictionary. Rev. and enl. ed. [Madras] University of Madras, 1968-1971.
ಬಟ್ಲ ಹೂವು (Batla hoovu) — meaning "The Cup Flower" (from battalu, meaning a bowl or cup). This name highlights the flared, tube-like shape of the blossom. It is also a fascinating example of localized folk taxonomy, where the name is shared with Crape Jasmine due to their nearly identical pinwheel structures and ritual uses. ... compiled from the web.

ಕೆಂಪು ಕಾಸಿಕಣಗಿಲು kempu kaasikanagilu

Subrahmanya, Prasad K - Exploration and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga - a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
for Vinca rosea L. ... Five Hundred Indian Plants by Messrs. C. Stolz and G. Plebst, Basel Mission, Mangalore ... (downloaded: Nov 24, 2024)
for Vinca rosea L. ... Cameron, John, F. L. S. — Catalogue of Plants in the Botanical Garden, Bangalore, and its vicinity ... (downloaded: Sep 5, 2020)
The prefix Kaasi (ಕಾಸಿ or ಕಾಸೀ) refers directly to Kaashi (Varanasi/Benaras), the ancient holy city in Northern India deeply associated with Lord Shiva, while kanigalu / kanigilu / kanagilu / kanigile (ಕಣಿಗಲು / ಕಣಿಗಳು / ಕಣಿಗಿಲು / ಕಣಗಿಲು / ಕಣಿಗಿಲೆ) are regional variations of the Kannada word for the native Oleander (Nerium oleander). Conceptually, the name translates to 'The Oleander of Kaashi'. Because Kaashi is historically revered as the ultimate spiritual heartland of Lord Shiva, local devotees in the Tulunadu region (spanning the coastal Karnataka and Kerala border) traditionally prefix 'Kaasi' to the names of specific flora whose blossoms are heavily favoured in Shaivite ritual worship. ... compiled from the web.
In Karnataka, year-round availability of Catharanthus roseus for daily worship earned it the name ಕೆಂಪು ಕಾಸಿಕಣಗಿಲು (Kempu Kaasikanagilu — The Rosy Oleander of Kashi). ... compiled from the web.

ನಿತ್ಯಪುಷ್ಪ nithyapushpa

Subrahmanya, Prasad K - Exploration and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga - a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
ನಿತ್ಯಪುಷ್ಪ nithyapushpa — literally translates to "The Ever-Blooming Flower". ನಿತ್ಯ (Nithya) — meaning "always", "daily" or "ever"; ಪುಷ್ಪ (Pushpa) — meaning "flower". ... compiled from the web.

ಸದಾಪುಷ್ಪ sadaapushpa

Subrahmanya, Prasad K - Exploration and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga - a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
for Vinca rosea L. ... Five Hundred Indian Plants by Messrs. C. Stolz and G. Plebst, Basel Mission, Mangalore ... (downloaded: Nov 24, 2024)
ಸದಾಪುಷ್ಪ sadaapushpa — translates directly to "Ever-Flowering". ಸದಾ (Sadaa) meaning "Always"; ಪುಷ್ಪ Pushpa meaning "Flower". ... compiled from the web.

ತುರುಕು ಮಲ್ಲಿಗೆ turuku mallige

for Vinca rosea L. ... Alar - an authoritative Kannada-English dictionary corpus created by V. Krishna
S G Narsimhachar - Latin and Kannada names of indigenous and medicinal plants of Mysore - Mandayam Digital Library ... (downloaded: Nov 27, 2020)
ತುರುಕು (Turuku) — historically, in old Kannada literature, lexicon, and administrative records, Turuku (or Turuka / Turushka) was the vernacular term used to describe "Turks", "Persians" or travelers arriving from the Middle East empires; ಮಲ್ಲಿಗೆ (Mallige) — this is the well-known word for "Jasmine". "Turuku mallige" literally translates to "The Turkish Jasmine" or "The Persian Jasmine". Though knowing that Periwinkle looks nothing like a vining jasmine plant, the historical kingdom of Mysore noted that it arrived via colonial/western trade channels and tagged it as a Turuku variant of their beloved Jasmine. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ KASHMIRI ~~~~~

written in: Koshur (Perso-Arabic كٲشُر), Devanagari (कश्मीरी) ... spoken in: Kashmir ... other names for this language: Koshur

گُلفرٛنگ गुलफ़्रिंग gulfering

Gupta, Monika & Kaushik, Shuchi & Tomar, Rajesh Singh & Mishra, Raghvendra. (2017). An overview of Catharanthus roseus and medicinal properties of their metabolites against important diseases. - European Academic Research. 5. 1237-1247. ... (accessed: August 13, 2026)
While the historical Persian name is compiled as separate words (گُلِ فرنگ — Gul-e-farang), the Kashmiri language offers a brilliant linguistic evolution. As the exotic species traveled up into the valley via old colonial trade channels, Kashmiri speakers compressed the entire descriptive phrase into a single, localized compound name: Gulfering meaning "The Foreigner's Flower" or "The European's Flower". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ KONKANI ~~~~~

सदाफुली sadaphuli

V D Vartak (1966) - Enumeration of plants from Gomantak India with a note on botanical excursions to the Castlerock area :: Chapter 5 :: Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
सदाफुली sadaphuli — literally means "Everbloomer" or "flowering in all the seasons". सदा (Sada) — meaning "always" or "ever"; फुली (Phuli) — meaning "in bloom" or "in flowering". ... compiled from the web.

सदापुष्पा sadapushpa

Maneesha SR, Safeena SA, Solomon Rajkumar, V Arunachalam, Parveen Kumar (2022). Plants of Dhanvantari Vatika - A catalogue of medicinal and aromatic plants available at ICAR-CCARI, Old Goa. Technical Bulletin No: 72. ICAR - Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Ela, Old Goa-403 402, Goa, India. pp1-88 ... (downloaded: Sep 8, 2023)
सदापुष्पा sadapushpa — translates directly to "Ever-Flowering". सदा (Sada) meaning "Always"; पुष्पा Pushpa meaning "Flower". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ KUMAONI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari ... spoken in: Uttarakhand

सदाबहार sadabahar

Renu, Bharti, Kumar, D., & Arya, P. (2023). Traditional uses of ethno-medicinal plants for the treatment of skin ailments in district Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, India. Environment Conservation Journal, 24(3), 47–53. ... (downloaded: April 26, 2025)
सदाबहार (Sadabahar) — "The Ever-Spring". Lacking a prehistoric native name for this tropical exotic introduction, the mountain communities of eastern Uttarakhand naturally adopted and naturalized Sadabahar to map the plant's relentless, year-round resilience. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ LODHI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari ... spoken in: Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand ... spoken by: Lodha people

सदा सवागाओं sada sawagaon

Sharma, Tarun & Bhide, Bhargav & Acharya, Rabinarayan. (2019). Wound healing activity of certain root drugs-A review from classical and ethnomedicinal claims. International Journal of Green Pharmacy. 13. 21-41. ... (downloaded: August 13, 2026)
सदा (Sada) — means "always" or "forever"; सवागाओं (Sawagaon) — refers to "a married woman whose husband is alive", traditionally symbolizing a state of marital bliss, protection, and complete adornment. Because the plant blooms nonstop, day after day, it is viewed as a woman who is "forever adorned" and never loses her auspicious bridal glow. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ MALAYALAM ~~~~~

written in: Malayalam (മലയാളം) ... spoken in: Kerala, Lakshadweep

നിത്യകല്യാണി nithyakalyaani, ശവംനാറി shavamnaari

Subrahmanya, Prasad K - Exploration and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga - a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
K A Anil Kumar and P S Udayan - Plant diversity of the Attappady hills, Western Ghats :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga - a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
നിത്യ (Nithya) — meaning "daily," "always," or "ever"; കല്യാണി (Kalyaani) — in Malayalam and Sanskrit, this means "auspicious", "blessed", "beautiful" or "one who brings good fortune". It is also a revered title for the Divine Feminine form and deity (Goddess Parvati). Literal meaning of the name: "The Ever-Auspicious One" or "The Forever Beautiful". This cultural name implies that the plant brings a permanent state of auspiciousness, beauty, and positive energy to the household garden because its fresh blooms are always available for daily offerings. ... compiled from the web.
ശവം (Shavam) — meaning "corpse" or "dead body"; നാറി (Naari) — derived from the root naaruka, meaning "stinker" or "something that emits a foul odor". The name translates to "The plant that stinks like a corpse". If the green leaves are crushed or the stems are broken, the milky sap releases a sharp, bitter, highly unpleasant, and nauseating herbal odor. Locals associated this distinct, unpleasant smell with death and decay, and thus the name. Historically, it was widely planted — or got naturalized — in unattended village cemeteries and burial grounds. Because the plant is incredibly hardy, drought-resistant, and entirely ignored by grazing cattle due to its toxicity, it thrives completely unattended. ... compiled from the web.

VERNACULAR LORE

ആദംഹൌവ്വ ചെടി aadamhauva chedi, സെമിത്തേരിചെടി semitherichedi, ശതപുഷ്പി shathapushpi, ശവകോട്ടപ്പച്ച shavakottappacha, ശ്മശാനപ്പൂചെടി shmashaanappoochedi, ഉഷമലരി ushamalari, വിഷനാരയണി vishanaarayani

State Medicinal Plants Board (SMPB) Kerala ... (accessed: August 12, 2026)
ആദംഹൌവ്വ ചെടി (Aadamhauva chedi) — translates to "The Adam and Eve Plant". This is a brilliant piece of folk taxonomy. Because the plant's flowers very commonly bloom in distinct, close-knit pairs from the leaf axils, local Christian communities in Kerala creatively named it after the world's first biblical pair. ... compiled from the web.
സെമിത്തേരിചെടി (Semitherichedi) — literally translates to "The Cemetery Plant" (Semitheri = Cemetery + Chedi = Plant). ... compiled from the web.
ശതപുഷ്പി (Shathapushpi) — Shatha means "hundred" and pushpi means "flowering" or "flower-borne". It means "The Hundred-Flowered Plant", emphasizing its highly prolific blooming capacity. ... compiled from the web.
ശവകോട്ടപ്പച്ച (Shavakottappacha) — translates to "Graveyard Greenery" (Shavakotta = Graveyard + Pacha = Greenery). ... compiled from the web.
ശ്മശാനപ്പൂചെടി (Shmashaanappoochedi) — translates to "The Crematorium Flower Plant" (Shmashaanam = Crematorium/Burial Ground + poochedi = flowering plant). ... compiled from the web.
ഉഷമലരി (Ushamalari) — a deeply poetic and beautiful name. Usha means "dawn" or "early morning" and malari is an old Malayalam word for "blossom/flower". It translates to "The Blossom of the Dawn", referring to how its fresh flowers greet households early in the morning. ... compiled from the web.
വിഷനാരയണി (Vishanaarayani) — Visha (വിഷ) means "poison/toxin"; Narayani (നാരയണി) is a prominent name for Goddess Durga/Lakshmi, or the ultimate Divine Feminine power — specifically representing the supreme protector, nurturer, and healer who destroys evils and neutralizes forces of toxicity. This name explicitly warns handlers of the plant's dangerous, highly toxic nature if ingested raw, highlighting its medical classification in local folklore. From the traditional healer's perspective, it focuses on the elevated, curative side of the toxicity (its power to fight toxins or illnesses like a protective goddess). ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ MALVANI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (मालवणी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra (only in the Sindhudurg district), north Goa (especially Pernem taluka) ... a dialect of Konkani with significant Marathi influences and loanwords

सदानन sadanana

Many thanks to Nitin Kawthankar for help with this name ... facebook
सदानन sadanana — translates literally to "The Fair-Faced One" or "The Forever-Beautiful Face" from sada (always) + anana (face). Recorded in classical Sanskrit lexicons as a term for a fair or beautiful countenance, this elusive regional name from the Konkan coast is a brilliant piece of visual poetry. It treats the flat, clean, and perfectly symmetrical open petals of the flower as a collection of bright faces that remain permanently fresh and unblemished through every season. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (मराठी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka

सदाफुली sadaphuli

The Gazetteer Department - Maharashtra State ... महाराष्ट्रातील वनस्पतीशास्त्र आणि वनसंपदा ... (downloaded: Sep 5, 2020)
सदा (Sada) — meaning "always" or "ever"; फुली (Phuli) — meaning "in bloom" or "in flowering". The name literally means "Everbloomer" or "flowering in all the seasons". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ MIZO ~~~~~

written in: Latin, Bengali-Assamese ... spoken in: Mizoram ... other names for this language: Lushai, Duhlian

kumtluang

for Vinca rosea L. ... R.Thansanga - Mizoram Hmulphurh leh Thlai Hmingte (Mizo - Botanical names) THUHMAHRUAI ... (downloaded: Aug 30, 2023)
O. P. Singh et. al. - State of Environment Report of Mizoram 2016 - Department of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of Mizoram ... (downloaded: Feb 9, 2022)
List of Ethno-medicinal plants in Mizoram state with uses - State Medicinal Plants Board - Mizoram
ENVIS :: Biological Diversity In Mizoram ... (downloaded: Aug 18, 2022)
Rai, Prabhat. (2010). Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources of Mizoram, India: Implication of Traditional Knowledge in Health Care System. Ethnobotanical Leaflets. 14.
Kumtluang — translating literally to "Everlasting" or "Throughout the Years". Borrowed from a Mizo poetic term used to denote eternity, this name glorifies the plant's unbroken, year-round flowering cycle. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ NEPALI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (नेपाली) ... spoken in: Nepal, West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir

बाह्रमासे फूल baahramaase phool, नयन तारा nayan taaraa, सदाबहार sadaabahaar, सदाफूली sadaaphooli

Many thanks to Saroj Kumar Kasaju for help with these names ... eFloraofIndia
बाह्रमासे फूल baahramaase phool — this name literally translates to "The Twelve-Month Flower". बाह्र (Baahra) — means "Twelve"; मासे (Maase) — derived from maas, meaning "month"; फूल (Phool) — means "flower". ... compiled from the web.
नयन तारा nayan taaraa - literally translates to "Star of the Eye", used to describe someone or something very dear and deeply loved. Nayan (नयन) meaning "eye"; Tara (तारा) meaning "star". ... compiled from the web.
सदाबहार sadaabahaar — this name translates to "Ever-Spring" or "Forever Blooming" (Sada = Always + Bahar = Spring).
सदाफूली sadaaphooli translates directly to "The Constantly Flowering One". सदा (Sadaa) — means "always" or "constantly"; फूली (Phooli) — means "flowering" or "bearing blossoms". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ ODIA ~~~~~

written in: Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ) ... spoken in: Odisha, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

ଆଇଁଷକାତି ainshakati

The Useful Plants of India (CSIR, Publications & Information Directorate)
ଆଇଁଷ (Ainsha) — this is a unique Odia adjective used to denote a strong, distinct "fishy odor" or the raw, pungent scent associated with raw fish and marine scales; କାତି (Kati) — means "scales" (specifically the small, flat, overlapping protective scales found on the skin of a fish). Literally translated, Ainshakati functions as "The Fish-Scale Stinker". Visually, it tracks the orderly, overlapping structure of the plant's sleek foliage. Functionally, it stands as a brilliant geographical twin to the Malayalam folk name Shavamnaari. Southern communities linked the pungent, toxic, crushed sap to the smell of a corpse, Odia folk architecture mapped the bitter aroma to raw fish, embedding an immediate warning of toxicity into the name. ... compiled from the web.

ସଦା ବିହାରୀ sada bihari (or ସଦା ବେହାରୀ sada behari)

Praharaj, G.C. Pūrṇṇachandra Orḍiā bhāshākosha: a lexicon of the Oriya language. Cuttack: Utkal Sahitya Press, 1931-1940.
Behera, Kambaska Kumar (2006) Ethnomedicinal Plants used by the Tribals of Similipal Bioreserve, Orissa, India: A Pilot Study, Ethnobotanical Leaflets: Vol. 2006: Iss. 1, Article 17. ... (downloaded: Nov 25, 2024)
ସଦା (Sada) — means "always", "permanently" or "forever"; ବିହାରୀ (Bihari - derived from Vihar) — in Odia and Sanskrit, Vihar or Bihara means "to roam", "to dwell", "to bloom/exist in a state of pleasure" or "to play/occupy a space". Put together, Sada Bihari translates literally to "The one that is always dwelling in bloom" or "The Forever-Present One", "The Eternal Dweller". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ PAHARI (or PAHADI) ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (पहाड़ी), Perso-Arabic (پہاڑی) ... variety of languages, dialects and language groups, spoken in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand

सदाबहार sadabahar

Kumar, N. "Common Medicinal Plants Available at Joginder Nagar, District Mandi (H.P.), India". Research in Pharmacy, vol. 4, no. 4, Oct. 2015, ... (downloaded: Nov 20,2024)
सदाबहार (Sadabahar) — literal meaning "The Ever-Spring". Because the plant is an exotic introduction, local Pahari dialects adopted the standard Hindi loanword Sadabahar, a practical adaptation driven by its widespread use in regional Ayurvedic research centers and forest nurseries. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ PERSIAN ~~~~~

written in: Farsi (فارسی) ... almost a defunct language; spoken in: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Bihar

گُلِ فرنگ gul-e-farang

Flowers of India ... (accessed: August 11, 2026)
for Vinca rosea L. ... Platts, John T. (John Thompson). A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English. London: W. H. Allen & Co., 1884.
گُلِ (Gul) — means "flower"; فرنگ (Farang) — historically derived from "Frank", this word was used across Persia, India, and the Ottoman Empire to describe "Europeans", "Foreigners" or "of the West". Literally translated, "Gul-e-farang" means "The Foreigner's Flower" or "The European's Flower". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ PUNJABI ~~~~~

written in: Gurmukhi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) ... spoken in: Punjab

ਰਤਣਜੋਤ ratanjot

for Vinca rosea L. ... Singh, Maya. The Panjabi dictionary. Lahore: Munshi Gulab Singh & Sons, 1895.
ਰਤਣ (Ratan) — means "jewel" or "gem"; ਜੋਤ (Jot) — means "light", "glow" or "flame". The name literally translated, Ratanjot means "The Glow of the Jewel". The distinct, vibrant "eye" (the sharp, glowing red centre of the five flat petals of the standard pink/magenta variety of the flower) resembled the brilliant, concentrated light glinting off a polished ruby or gem. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ RABHA ~~~~~

written in: Assamese (ৰাভা), Bengali, English ... spoken in: Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal, Meghalaya

আফে নেকেন aphe neken

Deka, Dipali (2007) - Ethno medico botanical study of certain tribes of Goalpara district, Assam :: Chapter 5 - Shodhganga :: a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
Aphe / Ephe — in several closely related dialects of Rabha language, this denotes "a cluster", "a spread", or "a low bush/shrub structure"; Neken — this is often structurally linked to visual traits — most notably meaning "slanted", "drooping", "nodding" or "looking down". The name thus meaning "The Low Nodding Shrub", beautifully describing the sprawling, slightly drooping physical growth habit of the plant. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ RAJASTHANI ~~~~~

written in: Devanagari (राजस्थानी) ... spoken in: Rajasthan

सदाबहार sadabahar

R. P. Kanther - DOMINANT FLORA OF PALI-DISTRICT, RAJASTHAN, INDIA J. Indian Bot. Soc., Vol. 100 (1&2) 2020:01-15 ... (downloaded: Jun 15, 2024)
Tripathi, Yogesh & Prabhu, V.V. & Pal, R.S. & Mishra, R.N.. (1996). Medicinal Plants of Rajasthan in Indian System of Medicine. Ancient Science of Life. 15. 190-212.
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)
सदाबहार sadabahar — this name literally means "Everbloomer" or "flowering in all the seasons". सदा (Sada) — meaning "always" or "ever"; बहार (Bahar) — meaning "in bloom" or "in flowering". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~

written in: Tamil (தமிழ்) ... spoken in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

சுடுகாட்டுப்பூ cutukattuppu, துலுக்கமல்லிகை tulukka-mallikai

for Vinca rosea L. ... University of Madras. Tamil lexicon. [Madras], University of Madras, 1924-1936.
பூ (Pu / Poo) — means "flower"; சுடுகாடு (Cutukatu / Sudukadu) — this is the specific Tamil word for a crematorium, burning ghat, or graveyard. The name literally means "The Graveyard Flower" or "The Crematorium Flower". It is also frequently recorded in Tamil botanical databases as சுடுகாட்டுமல்லி (Cutukattu-malli), meaning "The Crematorium Jasmine" [↗]. Because the plant contains toxic alkaloids, goats and cattle completely ignore it. As a result, it grows densely and unchecked over isolated village burial grounds and burning ghats. Locals strongly associated the sight of these bright pink and white blooms with places of death, earning it this sombre title. ... compiled from the web.
மல்லிகை (Mallikai) — means "Jasmine"; துலுக்க (Tulukka) — just like Turuku in Kannada, Tulukka (derived from the Sanskrit Turushka) was the historic Tamil term used from the medieval era onward to describe "Turks" or traders arriving from the Middle East / Central Asia. The Catharanthus roseus plant was tagged as a "Turkish Jasmine" variant by locals in Tamil Nadu who noticed it arriving via Middle Eastern trade ports. ... compiled from the web.

நயனதாரா nayanthaaraa, நித்தியகலியாணி nittiya-kaliyani

விக்கிப்பீடியா - கட்டற்ற கலைக் களஞ்சியம்... Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia ... (accessed: August 12, 2026)
The name Nayanthaaraa (நயனதாரா) translates to "Star of the Eye" — used to describe someone or something very dear and deeply loved. ... compiled from the web.
நித்திய (Nittiya) — means "eternal", "daily", or "ever"; கலியாணி (Kaliyani / Kalyani) — means "auspiciousness", "beauty", or "bride". In Tamil Nadu culture, an auspicious woman adorns herself daily. Because this plant is never bare and always wears fresh blossoms like a beautifully adorned Goddess, it earned the title of "The Ever-Auspicious One". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ TELUGU ~~~~~

written in: Telugu ( తెలుగు) ... spoken in: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry

బిళ్ళ గన్నేరు billa ganneru, నిత్య కళ్యాణి nithya kalyani

Flora Andhrika - Plant Wealth of Andhra Pradesh, India ... (accessed: August 13, 2026)
Billa (బిళ్ళ) — means any round object like "disc" or "coin"; Ganneru (గన్నేరు) is the traditional name for the native Oleander (Nerium oleander), a cousin species of Catharanthus roseus. The name బిళ్ళ గన్నేరు (Billa ganneru) literally translates to "The Disc Oleander". ... compiled from the web.
In Telugu culture, నిత్య (Nithya) means "eternal" or "daily", and కళ్యాణి (Kalyani) means "auspiciousness", "well-being", or "a bringer of good fortune". Just like in Tamil Nadu, Telugu households value this plant for its unbroken, daily supply of fresh blossoms for standard morning worship. It represents a permanent state of domestic beauty and sacred continuity. ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ TULU ~~~~~

written in: Tigalari (Tulu) was used for writing Vedic texts in Sanskrit, Kannada (ತುಳು), Malayalam (തുളു) ... spoken in: Karnataka, north Kerala

ನಿತ್ಯಪುಷ್ಪೊ nithyapushpo

Subrahmanya, Prasad K - Exploration and elucidation of traditional medicinal plants of erstwhile Tulunadu and surrounding area of Kerala and Karnataka :: Chapter 4 :: Shodhganga - a reservoir of Indian theses @ INFLIBNET
ನಿತ್ಯ (Nithya) — meaning "always", "daily" or "ever"; ಪುಷ್ಪೊ (Pushpo) — meaning "flower" (cognate to the Sanskrit/Kannada Pushpa). Thus the name literally translates to "The Ever-Blooming Flower". ... compiled from the web.

~~~~~ KNOWN DISTRIBUTION in INDIA ~~~~~

Introduced into the mainland and its islands, naturalized in scrub land.

Hassler, Michael (1994 - 2026): World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. Version 26.08; last update Aug. 2nd, 2026. Last accessed 11/08/2026 (dd/mm/yyyy).

~~~~~ Created on: 18:43 10-08-2026 ¦ Last updated: 12:40 14-08-2026 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~

Pages

Tuesday, 18 August 2026

Cosmostigma cordatum (Poir.) M.R.Almeida

Saturday, 15 August 2026

Ceropegia maccannii Ansari

Ceropegia jainii Ansari & B.G.P.Kulk.

Friday, 14 August 2026

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Thursday, 13 August 2026

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don

Cosmostigma cordatum (Poir.) M.R.Almeida