Typical of the Fabaceae family
Desmodium gangeticum
Shalaparni / Sal-Leaved Desmodium शालपर्णी
Hindi name · See all regional names ↓
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Found in India
- West Bengal, Delhi
- Flowering
- October-January
Shalaparni in regional languages
Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.
| Language | Regional script | Recorded Latin spelling |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | शालपर्णी | shalaparni |
| Bengali | শালপর্ণী · নারিন্দা ঘাস | Not recorded |
| Tamil | மூவிலை | Not recorded |
| Kannada | ಮೂರೆಲೆ ಹೊನ್ನೆ | Not recorded |
| Malayalam | ഓരില · ചിത്രപർണ്ണി | Desmodium gangeticum |
See the original recorded names
- Hindi
- शालपर्णी shalaparni
- Bengali
- শালপর্ণী, নারিন্দা ঘাস
- Tamil
- மூவிலை
- Kannada
- ಮೂರೆಲೆ ಹೊನ್ನೆ
- Malayalam
- ഓരില, Desmodium gangeticum, ചിത്രപർണ്ണി
Ecology & growing context
- Native status · Kew WCVP
- WCVP native range includes Andaman Is., Assam, India, Laccadive Is., Nicobar Is., West Himalaya Kew dataset ↗
Kew WCVP dataset; listed synonym of Pleurolobus gangeticus. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: Trop. & Subtrop. Old World to Australia.
- Recorded habitat
- Moist and dry deciduous forests and forests plantations
- Explore nearby plants
- West Bengal →Delhi →
Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.
How to identify Shalaparni
Identify Shalaparni by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a undershrub habit.
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Alternate.
- Confirm leaf type: Simple.
- Confirm flower colour: Purple.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: October-January.
- In India, compare location records such as West Bengal, Delhi.
- Confirm it sits within the Fabaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Shalaparni.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Desmodium gangeticum
- Genus
- Desmodium
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Habit
- Undershrub
- Habitat
- Moist and dry deciduous forests and forests plantations
- Habitat type
- Forest, Cultivated
- Distribution
- Paleotropics
- Found in India
- West Bengal, Delhi
- Flowering & fruiting
- October-January
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- AlternaterecordedOne leaf per node, arranged in a spiral or zigzag up the stem.“The leaves are simple and alternate.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf type
- SimplerecordedA single, undivided leaf blade.“The leaves are simple and alternate.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- Pubescent (softly hairy)recorded
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Shalaparni itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- PurplerecordedPurple or violet
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Raceme
- Fruit
- Legume
Characters marked “recorded” are for Shalaparni itself; the rest are typical of the Fabaceae family — flowering plants only.
About Shalaparni
Sal-leaved desmodium (Desmodium gangeticum) is a low shrub in the Fabaceae family. In India it has been recorded in West Bengal and Delhi. It grows in moist and dry deciduous forests and forests plantations. Flowering and fruiting run from October to January.
Fabaceae
Legume/Bean family
Shalaparni belongs to the Fabaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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