Oxystelma esculentum (L.f.) R.Br.ex Schult.

 
  • Family : ASCLEPIADACEAE
    (Milkweed Family)
  • Family (Hindi name) : AAK FAMILY (आक फैमिली)
  • Family (as per The APG System III) : Apocynaceae
  • Basionym : Periploca esculenta L. f.
  • Species Name (as per The IPNI) : Oxystelma esculentum (L.f.) Sm.
  • Vernacular name :
    • Dudhialata, Kirni (Hindi)
    • Kulappaalai (Tamil)
    • Dudhi pala (Telugu)
    • Dudhialata (Oria)
    • Kulappala (Malayalam)
  • Habit : Climber
  • Habitat : Scrub jungles and near water courses
  • Comments / notes : Occasional on plains by stream banks, canals and tanks. According to IPNI the name O. esculentum R.Br. is invalid
  • Flower, Fruit : August-April
  • Collector(s) Name : Raja K.Swamy
  • Collection Date : 19/10/2010
  • Collection Nos : FAP 40494
  • Collection Locality : Naganupula, Anantapur district (AP)
  • Distribution :
    • Andhra Pradesh : Guntur district, West Godavari district, Kurnool district
    • Karnataka : Ballari district
    • Kerala : Palakkad district, Thrissur district
    • Odisha : Kalahandi district
    • Uttar Pradesh : Uttar Pradesh
    • Punjab : Punjab
  • World Distribution : Tropical Himalayas, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam
  • Conservation Status : Least Concern (LC)
  • Literature :
    • Pullaiah et al., 2011 - Flora of Eastern Ghats Vol. 4
    • H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1995- Flora of Orissa Vol. 2
    • R. S. Rao et al., 1986 - Flora of West Godavari District
    • R. S. Rao and S. H. Sreeramulu, 1986 - Flora of Srikakulam District
    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1.
    • Matthew, K.M., The Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (1). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983
    • Sasidharan, N. 2011. Flowering plants of Kerala. DVD, V 2, KFRI.
  • Read more :
  • Permalink : http://indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Oxystelma esculentum
  • Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Deepak Kumar (2026). India Flora Online. http://indiaflora-ces.iisc.ac.in/plants.php?name=Oxystelma esculentum. Downloaded on 23 January 2026.

Botanical Description

Herbarium Specimen(s)

Field Image(s)

Distribution District wise

India Distribution

World Distribution

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