Bulbous candlestick

Kaas plateau has several species of the odd genus Ceropegia. The flowers that you see here belong to Ceropegia bulbosa. Once you know its name you don’t need me to draw your attention to the bulbous base and tip of the candlestick. Like all members of its family, the petals open up to attract flies. Once it is in, the petals hinge closed to trap it. The frantic fly buzzes about, reaching deep into the bulbous kettle where it pollinates the flower and gets its reward of nectar. Once it is pollinated, the erect flower droops, and the cage of petals opens up to let the fly free. These are buds, the petals not yet fully formed.

The vines were long and twinned, and the thick round leaves were attached close to the stem. The bulbous ceropegia is said to be widely distributed in the Western ghats, but this was my first sighting of it. It is supposed to be threatened, so it must be rare although found over a large region.