caMdaMlO ceTla gOla

PALANA (nparinand@cas.org)
Fri, 6 Jun 1997 12:01:09 -0400 

>From: rkotapati@eagle.navsses.navy.mil
Date: Fri, 06 Jun 1997 10:37:42 EDT
Subject: Palana chilEbi or cilEbi

NamsakAram Sri Kotapati gAru.
Some of my friends, time to time, remind me that this kind of stuff doesn't fit
in this forum. But, what can I do. Some of my friends, occassionally, bring
topics related to my tastes and I am kind of "emotional" about it.
Sorry to reply to you on this on TELUSA. I would like to clear some of the
"truths" that I said earlier and correct some of the "mistakes" that I did (from
what you pointed out).
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>7) Jidipappu (jIDi mAmiDi)- Cashew - Anacardium occidentale (a Mango family
>    member) was an introduction by the Portuguese.

 Does Mango belong to cashew family?(Kotapati asked).

 Answer: Yes! The name of the family is Anacardiaceae.
	 Your poison suemac on the highway sides with bright red flowers also
	 belongs to this family.
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>12) mirapakAya - the paccimirapa - the chillies were introduced by the
>    Portuguese. The name "chillies" indicates that the plant has gotten its name
>    from the country "Chile". It is the red-hot pepper of Chile, Capsicum
>    frutescens (belonging to the potato family, Solanaceae).

  Do you mean that Chille and Potato belong to the same family. their anatomy
is completely different. Can you explain in detail pl..(Kotapati asked)

 Answer: Yes sir! Before I go into extensive details, the main basis of plant
	 classification is the "Flower (floral)" structure. They may look
	 different morphologically but the flower has same structue. Potato,
	 tobacco, tomato, mirapa, bell pepper belong to the family Solanaceae.
	 If you still are not satisfied - look at the names : Solanum tuberosum
	 (Potato) or I will send you a personal essay via EMail on this.
	 Even that Ummetta, sometimes used in our prabandhas, is a member of
	 this family.
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>    mirapakaaya. After 2.5 centuries, mirapakaaya, the red-hot chillies have
>    become an entirely Andhra Fruit of Pride and Prestige.

   I categorize mirapakaya as vegetable not fruit.(Kotapati said).

 Answer: Vegetable = by definition any plant material.
	 In Telugu = aakulu, kUralu, duMpalu, kAyalu, paLLu etc.
	 Logic: All vegetables are not fruits. But, all fruits are vegetables
	 (some are edible and some are not).
	 For a botanist like me, all the fruiting bodies of green plants are
	 Fruits.
	 If you want, there is the "mirapapaMDu" (Andhra korivikAram).
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>    The Black Pepper, a native plant of India, is the Piper nigrum which is a
>    kin member of tamalapaaku.

   I do not think so. (Kotapati rejects).

 Answer: ayyaa! That is what special scientists like the Phytogeographers, plant
	 taxonomists, and plant geneticists say. Our anicient records also say
	 that. Continental drift and plant evolution and succession have to add
	 to that. As a devil's advocate, why Telugu originated in India only?
	 Why are there Kangarooes in Australia only? If you are interested, I
	 will not cause headache to Telugu-lovers and I will send you a personal
	 note on this sir. Please pardon me to cut short on this.
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>20) gOmgUra - the Jute - Hibiscus spp.
>    Now gOmgUra paccaDi is our favorite dish.

    Sri Kotapati says:
>    I think nobody knows gOmgUra (Hibiscus Cannabinus) except Telugus. You do
>not even see gOmgUra in telangana. They do not know. The people from our
>neighbouring states like Tamilnad and Karnataka also do not know. That plant
>is known only in certain parts of A.P. I think it looks like maruvana or some
>other narcotic. Here, sometimes the police suspect our favourite gOmgUra plant
>that we grow in our vegetable garden. As I know, it happened in Lansdale,Pa
>and Washinton D.C. I would appreciate, if you support your argument that
>gOmgUra is an imported one. I am little bit curious. that is all.

 Answer: Long time ago, I wrote an essay on "gOMgUra" on SCIT. I don't want to
	 get into details here. It belongs to the family of Bendakaaya or
	 Mamdaara (Malvaceae). It is known throughout India sir:
	 Botanically it is called "Hibiscus cannabinus"
	 Hindi: patsan; Sanskrit : nali; English: INDIAN HEMP; Andhra ; gongura;
	 Marathi: ambari; Tamilnadu: pulichai. This was known to Hemp growers in
	 India sir. Farmers in Bengal know this plant. Surprisingly, Andhras eat
	 this plant voraceously. Some communities in Southern Orissa and Bengal
	 also eat this (very few). It depends on which region it is grown. It
	 needs a lot of water especially during the fiber removal (bAgA edigina
	 mokkalni nILLalO UravEstAru. taruvAta nAra volustAru. ivannI
	 palleTULLalO raitu kuTuMbAlalO jarigE tamtulu.) Therefore, areas in
	 which there is a rich source of water, this plant is grown. Arid zones
	 may not be suitable to grow this crop (for economic reasons). That may
	 be historical and socioeconomical reason too.
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>22) mamdAra makaraMda............Potana's famous/popular poem
>    This Hibiscus chinarosensis is a native of China.

> I think it is Hibiscus rosasinensis?.Corrct me if I am wrong. (Kotapati caught
								 me here.)
 Answer: You are correct. I did a mistake.
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    Regards
    pAlana

>Regards,
>Kotapati sambasivarao

 Disclaimer: Opinions expressed above are not those of the CAS.