Trees & Plants

Love vine

Velanbuli, Umbulivella

Cassytha filiformis L.

Very common and dense in almost all the islands – highly invasive. The plant is reported to have aphrodisiac properties, hence the name love vine. It is a remedy for urethritis and skin diseases. or Th reat & damage: The plant smothers 3, native shrubs and trees. Management: Remo

Details

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uses: The plant is reported to have aphrodisiac properties, hence the name love vine. It is a remedy for urethritis and skin diseases. or Th reat & damage: The plant smothers 3, native shrubs and trees. Management: Removal of the plants before they produce seeds is helpful. Use of herbicides is also effective in managing Cassytha. to 1.
family: Lauraceae
synonym: Calodium cochinchinensis Lour., Cassytha americana Nees
description: Leafless parasitic twiners, stem wiry, yellow. Spikes terminal or Th axillary; peduncle 2-4.5 cm; bracteoles 3, ovate, 1.2 mm, ciliate. Flowers sub sessile, in spikes, 3-merous, bisexual, 3 mm across. Tepals 6, free, unequal, 3+3, truncate, of obtuse; outer lobes ovate-orbicular, 1.2 mm, ciliate; inner lobes obovate, 2.5 mm. Fertile stamens 9; filaments 1.5 mm; glands sessile; anthers 2-celled, 1.5 mm; staminodes 3, to 1 mm. Ovary 1.5 mm; style 0.5mm; stigma capitate. Drupe globose, enclosed within inflated perianth, crowned by lobes; seed 1.
native range: Pantropical
distribution: Pantropical
english names: Love vine
flowering fruiting: August–September
occurrence maldives: Very common and dense in almost all the islands – highly invasive.