oikos : for Ecological Services

September - 2010
Dear Nature Lovers, Greetings from oikos ! Wilderness areas are full of surprises. Due to seasonality plants blossom at different times. So all of a sudden green landscape gets dotted with bright flowers like this one “Agnishikha / Kal lawi” This seasonal climber flowering during September grows in association with clusters of existing thorny vegetation. So its habitat is very crucial and needs to be preserved !
Regards, Ketaki & Manasi.
Kal lawi / Agnishikha Scientific name: Gloriosa superba Family: Liliaceae This seasonal herbaceous climber grows in clusters in association with other shrubs and trees. It is seen commonly throughout India. If observed carefully, one can notice gradual change in flower colour... at first greenish later becoming yellow and finally yellow & scarlet or crimson. Bright red and yellow colored flowers just look like a flame, so called 'Agni shikha'. Underground tuberous rhizome remains dormant till next monsoon. Rhizome is medicinal and is useful in inducing labour pain so the marathi name ‘kal lawi’.

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