Floscopa scandens Lour.
Family
Commelinaceae
Synonyms
None
Vernacular Names
| Malaysia | Hawar-hawar, rumput tapak itek, rumput johong beraleh (Peninsular). |
| Philippines | Pugad-labuyo, aligbangon (Tagalog), sambilau (Samar-Leyte Bisaya). |
| Thailand | Phak bieo (Chiang Rai), phak plaap (Central), yaa plong khon (Nakhon Ratchasima). |
| Vietnam | C[or] d[aaf]u r[if]u hoa ch[uf]y, d[aaf]u r[if]u leo. |
Geographical Distributions
F. scandens is widely distributed from Nepal, India and Sri Lanka, through Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, southern China, Thailand and throughout the Malaysian region, to northern Australia.
Description
This is a perennial herb, which can grow up to 100 cm tall. It erects from a creeping base.
Leaves are arranged spirally, simple and entire, lance-shaped, 3-10 cm x 1-3.5 cm, acute, hairy, with distinct parallel veins.
Inflorescence is terminal, sometimes axillary cyme that is about 2-10 cm long, dense and many-flowered, with racemiform branches and densely patently glandular-hairy. Flowers are bisexual, slightly zygomorphic, 3-merous and small. The pedicel is 1.5-3 mm long. Sepals are ovate to oblong, 2.5-3.5 mm long, free, greenish to violet and long glandular-hairy outside. Its violet petals are slightly longer than sepals, the posterior ones is oblong while the anterior one is narrower and lance-shaped, free and hairy.There are 6 stamens, all fertile and slightly unequal. The ovary is superior, 2-celled, short stalk, 1 style, sometimes 2.
Fruit is an ellipsoid capsule, about 3 mm long, enclosed by the sepal, loculicidally opens with 2 valves and 2-seeded.
Seeds are oblong-ellipsoid, about 2 mm long and ribbed.
Ecology / Cultivation
F. scandens occurs along watersides, in swampy, sunny or shaded localities, up to 1500 m altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
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Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(3): Medicinal and poisonous plants 3.
