PRAKRITI, 01st February 2021, Vol.II, Issue 16

Weekly magazine

Quest For Nature

Flora of the week Fauna of the week Bird of the week

Holarrhena pubescens Neurothemis tullia Saxicola maurus or or or Paddy Skimmer Asian stonechat Koraiya

Officers’ Club Central Academy for State Forest Service, Dehradun P R A K R I T I, 1st February, 2 0 2 1, V O L. I, I S S U E 16 FLORA OF THE WEEK

Holarrhena pubescens

Koraiya

Holarrhena pubescens is a species of Description:

flowering in the family It is small tree that grows to a . It is native to central and height of around 25 feet and

southern Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, attracts the passers-by with its Indochina, and parts of China. It is a fascinating, tiny silver-coloured wonderful medicine for dysentery and flowers. This small tree, which used in Homeopathy for the disease in blooms in summer, is known as tincture form. Koraiya. In Ayurveda Known as

Kutaz.

Scientific classification: Interesting Facts: Kingdom: Plantae Koraiya flowers make an

excellent substitute to Clade: Tracheophytes vegetables for a complete meal. Clade:

The tree trunk is used to Clade:

manufacture toys and Order: handicrafts like decorative Family: Apocynaceae swords and spears, etc. Subfamily:

Tribe: Malouetieae

Genus: Holarrhena

Medicinal Property:

The potion prepared from its bark effectively cures dysentery and amoebiasis. If the bark is unavailable, its seeds can be boiled in water to extract the required potion.

The special liquid is also popular as a remedy for heat stroke.

The latex from this plant is a wonder cure for many skin ailments, typhoid and toothache.

Even its leaves are known to provide relief from body ache.

Distribution:

It is native to central and southern Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, and parts of China.

Central Academy For State Forest Service Guided by: Photography & Compiled by: P.O. New Forest, Dehradun- 248006, Uttarakhand Shri Kunal Satyarthi, IFS, President, Officers’ Club Ph : 0135-2754575/ Fax: 0135-2756168; E-mail : [email protected] Shri Pradeep Wahule, IFS, Vice President, Officers’ Club Satyapal & Vimal, SFS2019 – 21| P1 V V V P R A K R I T I, 1st February, 2 0 2 1, V O L. II, I S S U E 16 FAUNA OF THE WEEK

Neurothemis tullia

Pied Paddy Skimmer

Neurothemis tullia, the pied paddy skimmer, is a species of

dragonfly . It is a black dragonfly with a pale yellow mid-dorsal carina of thorax. Females differ remarkably from the males both

in body -coloring and markings and in marking of the wings. Its body is greenish yellow with a bright yellow mid-dorsal carina of

thorax. Though seen throughout the year, studies show that they are most

abundant during the summer monsoon – when the water supply is plentiful – and increases the survival rates of the larvae. FEMALE

Habitat:

A conspicuous species of marshes, ponds and paddy fields.

Usually perches on twigs, aquatic weeds and other . Very

common along irrigation canals. Flight is slow and weak. Usually perches on twigs, aquatic weeds and other plants. This species is

very common along irrigation canals in paddy fields.

Breeds in marshes and ponds. Flight season: Found throughout

the year. However, peak abundance is during July-September MALE months.

Salient features: Scientific Classification

Male- Face is black, eyes blackish brown, basal half of wing is Kingdom Animalia blue black which is covered by a milky white patch towards tip Phylum Arthropoda

and the tip of wing is transparent. Size of abdomen is 16-20mm Class Insecta

Female- Face is olivaceous yellow, eyes pale brown above which Order Odonata

fade to pale olivaceous below., base wing is bright amber yellow, Family Libellulidae front edge of wing is blackish brown and tip is also blackish Genus Neurothemis brown, Size of abdomen 16-19mm. Species tullia

Distribution:

The Pied Paddy Skimmer (Neurothemis tullia) is a species of dragonfly Distributeed throughout the Oriental region and found in south and south-east Asia. It appears in Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia), Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

Central Academy For State Forest Service Guided by: P.O. New Forest, Dehradun- 248006, Uttarakhand Shri Kunal Satyarthi, IFS, President Officers’ Club Photography & Compiled by: Ph : 0135-2754575/ Fax: 0135-2756168; E-mail : [email protected] Shri Pradeep Wahule, IFS, Vice President Officers’ Club Vivek Yadav | SFS 2019 – 21 | P2 V V V a P R A K R I T I, 1st February, 2 0 2 1, V O L. II, I S S U E 16 BIRD OF THE WEEK

Saxicola maurus

Asian Stonechat

Identification:

Saxicola maurus, the stonechat is a small bird, a little smaller than a robin. It has a big head and short tail. The male in breeding plumage has black upperparts and head

(lacking the brownish tones of the European stonechat), a conspicuous white collar, scapular patch and rump, and a restricted area of orange on the throat while non

breeding male is much duller with pale feather edges. The female has pale brown upperparts and head, white neck patches (not a full collar), and a pale, unstreaked

pinkish- yellow rump. Juveniles are dull gray-brown above; underparts show brown feather tips.

Characteristics and Biology: IUCN Status: Least Concern

The Siberian Stonechat is an insectivorous

migratory bird. It occasionally feed on Kingdom Animalia invertebrates as well as seeds. The bird averages a length of 12 cm, a wingspan of 20 Phylum Chordata cm and weigh around 15 g. It breeds in open rough scrubland or rough grassland with Class Avies

scattered shrubs, from sea level to about Order Passeriformes 4,000 m above mean sea level or more. It has an average lifespan of 4-5 years. Eggs Family Muscicapidae

measure 18 mm in length of 4-6 clusters, Genus Saxicola having a deep bluish-green, red-brown spots. It constantly flicks its tail. Species maurus

Fun Fact : Habitat: The birds seem to avoid even cool temperate conditions and stay up north only during the hot continental summer. In the montane regions of the Himalayan

The stonechat is named for its call, foothills of Bhutan, migrants can on occasion be seen foraging in fields and pastures which sounds just like two small more than 2,000 m above mean sea level, but most move further down and south to stones knocking together followed winter in tropical regions. It can frequently be seen sitting on the top of gorse bushes,

by a high and twittering song. flicking its wings and making a call like two small stones being hit together. Stonechats commonly inhabit heaths, bogs and conifer plantations.

Distribution: In winter, it is Adult (Breeding): Male has brown- widespread throughout tropical black head and upperparts with

regions of Asia, Africa and Europe. variably-sized white patches on neck Small numbers reach as far west as and wing; variably orange breast and

western Europe, and exceptionally as flanks. Female is mottled brown-gray far east as Alaska in North America. above. The wintering range of the migratory

bird is from southern Japan, south to Adult (Non-breeding): Much duller Thailand and India, and west to with pale feather edges.

northeast Africa.

Juvenile: Dull gray-brown

Central Academy for State Forest Service GuidedGuided by: by: above; underpartsPhotography show & Compiledbrown feather by: Photography & Compiled by: P.O. New Forest, Dehradun- 248006, Uttarakhand Shri KunaShri lKuna Satyarthi,l Satyarthi, IFS, President, IFS, President, Officers’ Officers’ Club Club tips. R. Lalruatfela | SFS2019 – 21| P3 Ph: 0135-2754575/ Fax: 0135-2756168;E-mail: [email protected] Shri PradeepShri Pradeep Wahule, Wahule, IFS, Vice IFS, President Vice President, Officers’, Officers’ Club Club Fela SFS2019 – 21| P3 V V Behavior: Constantly flicksV tail.