banko jankari.indd


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1  Department of Plant Resources, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal. Email: subhger99@yahoo.com
2  Baraipur VDC -5,  Kapilvastu, Nepal 
3  National Herbarium and Plant Laboratories, Godawari, Lalitpur, Nepal

Carissa spinarum L. (Apocynaceae): A new addition to the fl ora of  Nepal

S. Khatri1, P. P. Kurmi2  and G. D. Bhatt3

Short Note

The genus Carissa L. consists about 30 species   
distributed in the tropics and subtropics of 

Africa, Asia and Australia (Shu, 1995). Five species 
are reported from India, four from China and 
two from Bhutan (Hooker, 1882; Shu, 1995 and 
Watson, 1999). In Nepal, Carissa represent one 
species namely Carissa carandus L. (Chater, 1982; 
Joshi, 1997; Press et al., 2000 and Bista et al., 2001). 
Carissa spinarum L. has been so far not reported from 
Nepal. This herbarium specimens was collected 
by Puran P. Kurmi from Udayapur at Udayapur 
Village Development Committee (VDC) of 
Kapilvastu district at an altitude of 150m. It has 
been identifi ed as Carissa spinarum L. and therefore, 
it is found to be a new addition to the fl ora of 
Nepal. This species is distinguished from the 
others by its secondary veins conspicuous on 
adaxial leaf surface; branches and abaxial leaf 
surface puberulent.  

Description of  the species 
Carissa spinarum L., Mant. Pl. 2:559.1771. (Fig. 1)
Shrub with a zigzag branching pattern; spines 
simple or forked, 0.5-2.2cm. Leaf blade ovate 
to elliptic, 1.5-4.0x 0.6-2.0cm, leathery, fi nally 
puberulent abaxially, base acute, apex acute or 
short acuminate, mucronate; lateral veins 3-5 
pairs, conspicuous. Cymes terminal or axillary, 2-9 
fl owered, fi nally puberulent. Sepals ca. 2 x 1 mm, 
without gland. Corolla white scented, tube ca. 
1cm, lobes 3-7mm, overlapping to right; Ovules 
1 in each locule. 

Distribution: India, Nepal, China, Bhutan, Myanmar, 
Sri Lanka, Thailand.
Ecology: Terai plains, near river bank.
Local name: Karauda
Flowering: March to May

Fruiting: September to December.
Specimen examined: Central Nepal: Kapilvastu 
District, Udayapur V. D. C. , Udayapur, 150m, 
2011.03.31, P. P. Kurmi  025 (KATH). 
Uses: The roots are used to treat hepatitis and 
rheumatoid arthritis. (Shu, 1995).

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mrs. Sushma Upadhyay, 
Offi ciating Director General, Dr. Sushim Ranjan 
Baral, Senior Research Offi cer, Department of 
Plant Resources  and Dr. Khem Raj Bhattarai, 
Under- Secretary, National Herbarium and Plant 
Laboratories , Godawari for their encouragement 
and facilities. We are grateful to Dr. Keshab Raj 
Rajbhandari for his inspiration and valuable 
suggestions. 

Fig. 1: Herbarium Specimen of  Carissa spinarum L.



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References

Bista, M. S., Adhikary, M. K. and Rajbhandary, 
K. R. (eds.) 2001. Flowering Plants of  
Nepal (Phanerogams). Department of Plant 
Resources, Kathmandu, Nepal

Chater, A. O., 1982. Apocynaceae. In  An 
Enumeration of  the Flowering Plants of  Nepal  
Volume III. (eds.) Hara, H., Chater, A. O. and  
Williams, L. H. J., Trustees of British Museum, 
Natural History, London, UK, 82-83.

Hooker, J. D. 1882. Flora of  British India Volume 
III. M/S Bisen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, New 
Connaught Place, Dehradun and M/S Periodical 
Experts 42-D, Vivek Vihar Delhi -32. 630-632.

Joshi, C. M. 1997. Apocynaceae. In Flora of  
Nepal (eds.) Bista, M. S., Vaidya, Y. N. and 
Rajbhandary, K. R. Department of Plant 
Resources. 5 (18): 5-6.

Press, J. R., Shrestha K. K. and  Sutton, D.A. 
2000. Annonated Checklist of  the Flowering 
Plants of  Nepal. Natural History Museum, 
London, UK.

Shu, J.  H. 1995. Apocynaceae. In Flora of  China  
(eds.) Wu, Zheng-Yi and Peter, N. Raven, 
Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical 
Garden (St. Louis). 16:146.

Watson, M. 1999. Apocynaceae. In Flora of  Bhutan 
2: (2)., (eds.) Grierson, A. J. C. and Long, 
D. G., Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and 
Royal Government of Bhutan, 658-664.