Species (& synonyms)	Decalepis hamiltonii Wight & Arn.
Vernacular name	Maakaliberu (Kan); Nannaari, Naruinti (Mal.); Mahali kelangu (Tam.).
Family	PERIPLOCACEAE
Taxonomic status	Species
Habit	Climber
Habitat	In open rocky slopes and crevices of dry to moist deciduous forests
Original global distribution	ENDEMIC to southern India
Current regional distribution	Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
- Elevation (m)	300 - 1,800
- Range (km^2)	> 20,000
- Area occupied (km^2)	> 2,000
- No. of locations	Many, fragmented.
Population Trends
- % decline	> 50
- Time/Rate ( years or generations)	3 generations
- No. of mature individuals	Not estimated
Global population	Gradually declining
Regional population	Chinnar < 2 km^2. TN- ± 100 km^2, KAR-± 100 km^2.
Data quality	General field study
Recent field studies	K.Ravikumar, P.S.Udayan, S.P.Subramani (1997-98), Savanadurga MPCA; K.Ravikumar (1997), BIRD-K MPCP forest; P.S.Udayan (1997) and R.Ganesan (1997-98), BRT Hills; S.P.Subramani (1997-98), BIRD-K and BIRDS MPCP forests, Siddare betta, Lakkihalli, Jogimatti, Bevanahalli, Yogi kolla and Sogal (KA). N.Sasidharan (1997), Chinnar forest; P.S.Udayan (1998), Marayoor (KL). K.Ravikumar (1984-96), Alagar koil and Melpattu; M.B.Viswanathan (1994-96), Alagar koil MPCA; P.S.Udayan (1996), Puliyansolai, Thiruchirapalli Dt.; K.Ravikumar (1997), READS and SMT MPCP forests; P.S.Udayan (1997), Panai forest, Dharmapuri Dt. and Chitheri forests, Salem Dt.; S.P.Subramani (1997-98), CCD and PAF MPCP forests, Sastha kovil, Sevalimalai (TN).
Threats	Harvest for medicine (Hm); Trade for parts (Tp), Over-exploitation (Ov).
Trade	Local, Regional and National.
Other comments	Decalepis is a monotypic genus. First time reported for Kerala State by N.Sasidharan from Chinnar. Regeneration is severely affected since most of the plants are harvested prior to seed setting. Roots, leaves and follicles are medicinal. Roots pickled and marketed in a large scale. Also used as a substitute for Hemidesmus indicus (Sariva). Roots harvested in hundreds of tonnes from BRT Hills for pickling and medicinal purposes (R.Ganesan, 1998). Conservator of Forest of Vellore and Salem circle stated that the roots are auctioned around 100 tonnes every year (K.Ravikumar, 1998). Girijan Co-operative Society, Andhra Pradesh traded 351.6 tonnes of roots from 1^st Apr. 97 to Jan. 98.
Status
- IUCN	ENDANGERED (EN)
- Criteria based on	Population reduction (Aa.d)
- CITES	No
- IWPA (1972; 91)	No
- National legislation	Not in negative list of exports (Notification 2 (RE-98) dt 13.4.98, 1997-2002)
Recommendations
- Research management	Habitat management (Hm), Monitoring (M).
- P.H.V.A.	No
Cultivation prog. recommendations
- Cultivation	Level 3 (research)
- Level of difficulty	Level 3 (Very difficult)
Existing cultivation	None
- Names of facilities	Few sample specimens are grown at G.K.V.K. Bot. Garden, Bangalore.
Previous assessment	EN in CAMP-III (Jan.‘97) compiled by B.V.Shetty, Purushotham Singh, S.R.Ramesh, K.Ravikumar, A.G.Pandurangan, J.L.Ellis, K.R.Geetha, R.Latha.
Sources	N.Sasidharan, P.S.Udayan, K.Ravikumar, A.G.Pandurangan and M.B.Viswanathan (persn. observn.).
Compilers	N.Sasidharan, S.S.R.Bennet, T.Ananda Rao, K.Ravikumar, M.B.Viswanathan V.Irudayaraj, Mohan Karnat, Subhash Mali, Sumy Oommen.
Reviewers	M.Abdul Kareem, M.Ahmedullah, N.Anil Kumar, Anjali Wadehra, Anjana Mudappa, S.Aroumougame, J.L.Ellis, Dasappa, K.R.Geetha, R.Gopalan, B.Gurudev Singh, V.P.Hiremath, C.R.Jawahar, P.John Jebaraj, C.G.Kushalappa, N.Mohanan, K.N.Murthy, D.Narasimhan, M.P.Nayar, S.Noorunnisa Begum, A.G.Pandurangan, V.Prabhakaran, V.S.Ramachandran, S.R.Ramesh, Sanjay Molur, C.Seema, Y.N.Seetharam, A.E.Shanawaz Khan, B.V.Shetty, B.S.Somashekhar, T.S.Srinivasa Murthy, D.Stephen, S.P.Subramani, T.S.Suma, D.Suresh Baburaj, M.H.Swaminath, P.S.Udayan, D.K.Ved, Vinay Tandon.