• Family : AMARANTHACEAE
  (AMARANTH FAMILY)
• Family (as per The Plant List) : Amaranthaceae
• Species : Aerva lanata
• Species Name (as per The Plant List) : Aerva lanata (L.)Juss.
• Common name : Polpola
• Vernacular name : Chaya, Gorakhganja (Hin.); Bili suli gida, Bili hindi gida (Kan.); Koolappoo, Polaippoo (Tam.); Thelagapindi koora, Pindi kunda (Tel.); Lopong arak, Paunsia (Ori.); Pashanabedha (San.)
• Key identification features : An erect or prostrate herb with many hairy branches. Leaves are alternate, elliptic to obovate, obtuse or acute, entire with cottony hair beneath. Flowers are tiny, white and are crowded in compact axillary spikes.
• Habit : Herb
• Flower, Fruit : August-April
• Comments : Often on plains to 1200 m. On wayside in poor soil, sun-exposed places and fallow lands.
• Conservation Status : Not Evaluated (NE)
• Distribution Locality : Bellary district, Kolar district (Karnataka State)
• World Distribution : Tropics of the World
• Literature : J.L.Ellis, 1990- Flora of Nallamalais Vol. 2; H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1995- Flora of Orissa Vol. 3 ; R. S. Rao et al., 1986 - Flora of West Godavari District ; R. S. Rao and S. H. Sreeramulu, 1986 - Flora of Srikakulam District; H. O. Saxena and M. Brahmam, 1989 - The Flora of Similipal, Orissa; N.P.Singh, 1988. Flora of Eastern Karnataka; Matthew, K.M., The Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (2). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983.
• Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Arun Singh R., Deepak Kumar, Raja K Swamy and Navendu Page (2016). Digital Flora of Eastern Ghats. http://easternghats.ces.iisc.ernet.in/plants.php?name=Aerva lanata. Downloaded on 31 March 2025.

Description

Line Drawings

Field Images