PRAKRITI, 21st Dec 2020, Vol.II, Issue 10

Weekly magazine

P R A K R I T I Quest For Nature

Flora of the week Fauna of the week of the week Pterospermum Papilio polytes Upapa epops acerifolium or or or Common Mormon Eurasian Kanak Champa

Officers’ Club Central Academy for State Forest Service, Dehradun P R A K R I T I, 21 DECEMBER 2 0 2 0, V O L. II, I S S U E 10

FLORA OF THE WEEK

Pterospermum acerifolium

Kanak champa

Kanak Champa is a tree of Indian origin, which Kingdom Plantae reaches a height of 50-70 ft. It develops straight Division Magnoliophyta trunk supporting a rounded or irregularly-shaped

crown of gently ascending branches. The bark is Class Magnoliopsida a smooth, grey on young trees becoming rough Order Malvales and darke r with age. The leaves are very large, dark glossy green on top and silvery underneath. Family Malvaceae

In the wetter parts of its range, where the dry season is short, they remain on the tree Genus Pterospermum

throughout the year. but fall elsewhere for a Species acerifolium

brief period

Pterospermum is based on two Greek words, Pteron and Sperma, meaning “winged seed”.

Acerifolium indicates leaves shaped like Maple tree

leaves.

The flowers are large, creamy-white, showy and sweetly fragrant, HABITAT & ECOLOGY especially at night to attract bats, the tree's specialist pollinators. They A typical 'pioneer' tree tending to regenerate in bloom in spring but are short-lived, lasting only one night, however their gaps in the forest or at the fringes. fragrance lingers on even after they have wilted and fallen to the ground.

The fertilized flowers are followed by cucumber-shaped seed capsules In dry areas it grows near swamps or along that persist on the tree for up twelve months, turning brown as they streams, ascending to about 1200 m ion the hills. mature. They contain numerous seed which are winged and designed for It tolerates frost well and prefers full sunshine. wind dispersal. Sub canopy tree in evergreen forests up to 1000 Uses: m.

 Used as an ornamental tree.  Leaves used for making plates. Distribution: Its natural range extends from the  Timber is durable & used for flooring, paneling, furniture. foothills of the and hilly parts of central  Treatment of cough, cold. and eastern India, through Myanmar (Burma) to  Treatment of ulcers, wounds.  Leaves used for roof thatching. southern China.

Central Academy for State Forest Service Guided by: Photography & Compiled by: Shri Kunal Satyarthi, IFS, President Officers’ Club P.O. New Forest, Dehradun- 248006, Uttarakhand Jitendra Singh | SFS 2019 – 21| P1 Ph : 0135-2754575/ Fax: 0135-2756168; E-mail : [email protected] Shri Pradeep Wahule, IFS, Vice President Officers’ Club P R A K R I T I, 21 DECEMBER 2 0 2 0, V O L. II, I S S U E 10 FAUNA OF THE WEEK

Papilio polytes

Common Mormon Butterfly

Papilio polytes: The Male Mormon: The Male has one form only. It is a dark-colored -tailed butterfly. The Common Mormon is a black- Female Mormon: The female of the common

bodied swallowtail butterfly. This Mormon is polymorphic. In the Indian butterfly is very well known for its’ Subcontinent, it has several forms or morphs. 1)

mimicry characters which is Form stichius - This female form of the common displayed by the female Mormon Mormon mimics the common rose very closely. This is the commonest form. 2) Form cyrus - has , which mimic inedible strongly marked red crescents. It is the least red-bodied swallowtails, such as common of the three forms. 3) Form Romulus - the common rose and the crimson This female form mimics the crimson rose and is rose. common over its range.

Habitat: The common Mormon prefers lightly wooded area but is Kingdom Animalia present everywhere and high up into the hills. It is a very regular visitor Phylum Arthropoda to gardens, being especially abundant in orchards of its food plants Class Insecta oranges and limes. It is most common in the monsoon and post- monsoon months. Order Lepidoptera

Family papilionidae Salient features:

 This butterfly, Common Mormon, is considered as the classic Genus Papilio example of Batesian mimicry in which edible species resemble Species polytes unpalatable butterflies in order to escape being eaten by predators. Distribution:  Males are single morphic whereas female Mormons are polymorphic. Common Mormon (Papilio polytes) is a  The males take part in mud puddling, usually in cool shaded common species of swallowtail butterfly which spots. They have been known to collect on saline soils to extract is widely distributed across Asia. minerals.

Central Academy For State Forest Service Guided by: Photography & Compiled by: Shri Kunal Satyarthi, IFS, President Officers’ Club P.O. New Forest, Dehradun- 248006, Uttarakhand Dileep Kumar | SFS 2019 – 21 | P2 Ph : 0135-2754575/ Fax: 0135-2756168; E-mail : [email protected] Shri Pradeep Wahule, IFS, Vice President Officers’ Club V V V a P R A K R I T I, 21 DECEMBER, 2 0 2 0, V O L. I, I S S U E 10 BIRD OF THE WEEK

Upapa epops

Eurasian hoopoe

Hoopoes are colourful found across Reproductive behaviour: -The female Hoopoe lies around 4-7 eggs Africa, Asia and Europe, notable for their which are blue/green in colour but distinctive “crown” of feathers. The quickly become brown. The female has been split into three separate incubates the egg for 14-20 days.

species: the Eurasian hoopoes, African Chicks are born helpless, naked and hoopoes and Madagascan hoopoe. Most blind with a sparse long white down. The chicks are fed mainly by the male European and north Asian birds migrate to the tropics in winter. In contrast, the African and then later by both parents. The chicks fledge at around 26-32 days. population are sedentary all year. One to three broods are produced

yearly by Hoopoe bird. WPA, 1972: Schedule IVIUCN Status: Least concern

Morphology: Hoopoes is the medium Kingdom: Animalia sized bird 25-32 cm long, with a 40- 48cm wingspan. It weighs 46-89g.The Phylum: Chordata species is highly distinctive, with a long, thin tapering bill that is black Class: Aves with a fawn base. There is a

cinnamon colour with contrasting Order: black and white stripes on their wings

and tails. Their head have a distinctive Family: Upupidae crest with long chestnut coloured feathers which have black tips. The Genus: Upupa hoopoe bird has an oil gland which

produces a foul smelling secretion. Species: epops

. DISTRIBUTION: Interesting fact:

Combined distribution of all The hoopoe is named after its call. species of Upupa: Light green Upupa africana (African The hoopoe is the national bird of /

Hoopoe) Orange, blue, dark Hoopoes don’t make a typical nest. green Upupa epops (Eurasian Hoopoe) Brown Upupa Baby hoopoes are far from helpless.

marginata (Madagascar Hoopoe). Hoopoes range throughout Africa, Europe and Behaviour: Hoopoes are not sociable Asia. bird, generally found in pairs or singular. Hoopoe is monogamous The hoopoe’s is its most important tool unless its mate dies. In the event of a The hoopoe’s flight resembles that of a partner dying the hoopoe bird will seek out a new mate. Hoopoes have butterfly. their own defence technique whereby Hoopoes engage in something called courtship they will lie flat to the ground, feeding. spreading their tail and wing, pointing

their beak straight upwards when The hoopoe can often be seen bathing in the sun attacked by a predator. and sand.

Guided by: The hoopoe is unique, alone in its taxonomic Central Academy For State Forest Service Shri Kunal Satyarthi, IFS, President, Officers’ Club Photography & Compiled by: P.O. New Forest, Dehradun- 248006, Uttarakhand family. Shri PradeepWahule, IFS, Vice President, Officers’ Club Harikesh Narayan Yadav | SFS2019 – 21| Ph : 0135-2754575/ Fax: 0135-2756168; E-mail : [email protected] P1 V V a V