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Grihvatika Knowledge Centre

Goals: Biodiversity

Resurrection Fern (संजीवनी), Selaginella bryopteris
Common Reed

The tall reed of Indian riverbanks, and the standard plant for a reed-bed filter.

Foxtail Orchid (द्रौपदी माला), Rhynchostylis retusa
Chinese Hibiscus

Flowers nearly all year in a warm city, and sunbirds find it within a week.

Foxtail Orchid (द्रौपदी माला), Rhynchostylis retusa
Mussaenda

One enlarged white sepal per flower, so the whole shrub reads as pale bracts.

Foxtail Orchid (द्रौपदी माला), Rhynchostylis retusa
Duranta

Blue flower sprays and orange berries at once; the standard clipped Indian hedge.

Foxtail Orchid (द्रौपदी माला), Rhynchostylis retusa
Lantana

Invasive across Indian forests — grow the sterile garden cultivars only, never the wild kind.

Foxtail Orchid (द्रौपदी माला), Rhynchostylis retusa
Indian Screw Tree

Twisted screw-shaped pods on a scrub shrub of the dry deciduous forest.

Assam Lemon (कागजी नेमु), Citrus limon var.
Lasoda

Sticky green fruit for the Rajasthani pickle jar, on a tough small tree.

Foxtail Orchid (द्रौपदी माला), Rhynchostylis retusa
Indian Jujube Shrub

The thorny bush that holds the Thar together, browsed by everything and killed by nothing.

Foxtail Orchid (द्रौपदी माला), Rhynchostylis retusa
Rohida

The desert teak — orange trumpets on bare wood in March, on a tree that needs no water.

Foxtail Orchid (द्रौपदी माला), Rhynchostylis retusa
Aak Bush

A leafless broom-like desert shrub that fixes sand and feeds camels.