Hedyotis auricularia

Family

Rubiaceae

Synonyms

Oldenlandia auricularia (L.) F. Muell.

Vernacular Names

Geographical Distributions

From the Himalayas to southern China, throughout South-East Asia, Australia and the Pacific.

Description

It is a perennial, nearly erect to diffuse, hairy herb, 30-100 cm tall.

The leaves ovate-lance- to lance-shaped, 4-12 cm x 1-4 cm with upper surface which are hairless or rough when touched, hairy beneath with 4-15 mm long stalk. There is interpetiolar stipule triangular with setae 3-7; cyme arising from the axils, small, dense with small sepal lobes  and smooth or hairless petal tube  outside and  hairy at the base inside. The lobes are with some short bristles at apex.

The fruit is ovoid, 1.5 mm in diametre, indehiscent and clasped by the persistent sepal.

Ecology / Cultivation

H. auricularia occurs in thickets, forests, wet grassland, shady roadsides, rubber, tea or cinchona plantations or along water sides, at 10-1600 m altitude.

Line Drawing / Photograph

References

1. Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 12(2). 1998, Unesco.