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Green Champa
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Green Champa
ative elliptic Photo: Thingnam Girija
Common name: Green Champa, Ylang Ylang Vine, Climbing lang-lang, Tail grape • Bengali: Kanthali champa কাঁঠালী চাঁপা • Chinese: 鹰爪花 Ying zhua hua • Gujarati: ચિભડ ચંપો Chibhad Champo • Hindi: Hari champa हरी चम्पा, Madanmast मदनमस्त, Manorangini मनोरंगिनी • Kannada: ಮನೋರಂಜನಿ Manoranjani, ಕಂದಾಳ Kandaala, ಕಂದಾಳಸಂಪಿಗೆ Kandaala Sampige, ಮದನಮಂಜರಿ Madanamanjari • Manipuri: ꯆꯤꯅꯤ ꯆꯝꯄ꯭ꯔꯥ Chini champra, ꯆꯤꯅꯤ ꯆꯝꯄꯥ Chini champa • Marathi: हिरवा चाफा Hirva chapha • Nepali: कनक चम्पा Kanak Champa • Oriya: Kalomuro • Tamil: மனோரஞ்ஜிதம் Manoranjitham • Telugu: ఆకు సంపెంగ Aku sampenga
Botanical name: Artabotrys hexapetalus      Family: Annonaceae (sugar apple family)
Synonyms: Annona hexapetala, Artabotrys odoratissimus

Also known by its common name in India as "Manorangini", Green Champa has absolutely intoxicating fragrance. A medium size climbing shrub 8-10 ft, producing flowers that are greenish in color and fade to yellow with age, and are extremely fragrant. Once picked they are very long lasting and hold their scent for days, if kept in water, permeating an entire room. Flowers have three outer and three inner greenish yellow petals - hence the name hexapetalus. It is a fruity sweet smell - the Manipuri name Chini Champra, meaning sugar lemon, is indicative of that. Narrowly elliptical leaves, 6-15 cm long, 2-4.5 cm wide, are usually 3-4 times as long as wide, acute or almost so at base, short-acuminate at the tip, not glossy. Lateral veins are 8-16 pairs. Fruits are 3-4 cm long when ripe, ovoid and smooth. When young, this climber grows just like a regular shrub but at 5-6 ft, will start to vine. It is not an aggressive vine. Green Champa is native to India and Sri Lanka.

Identification credit: Tabish Photographed in Delhi & Maharashtra.

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