Chloranthus erectus (Buch.-Ham.) Verdc.
Family
Chloranthaceae
Synonyms
Cryphaea erecta Buch.-Ham., Chloranthus officinalis Blume, Chloranthus elatior Link.
Vernacular Names
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Malaysia |
Dikut-dikut, langut-Iangut (Sarawak), sambau paya (Peninsular). |
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Indonesia |
Keras tulang (Malay), uyah-uyahan (Javanese), harostulang (Sumatra). |
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Thailand |
Hom kai (Northern), kraduk kai (Central). |
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Philippines |
Barau-barau (Luzon), tul-an hinbad (Samar), tunggao (Tagbanua). |
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Cambodia |
Kbâ:k dâmréi. |
Geographical Distributions
Chloranthus erectus is found in continental Asia from Nepal to Yunnan and the Andaman Islands, and throughout the Malaysian region as far as New Guinea.
Description
Chloranthus erectus is a smooth, aromatic, slightly woody herb or small shrub that can reach up to 3 m tall. The nodes are swollen and sometimes purplish.
The leaves are arranged decussately opposite. The petiole is 1-1.5 cm long while the stipules are small and awl-shaped. The blade is oblong-lance-shaped to elliptical or ovate-oblong, measuring 8-29 cm x 3-13 cm, with wedge-shaped base, shallowly glandular-serrate margin, with long acuminate apex, penninerved, bright green and glossy above.
The inflorescence is terminal where the peduncled panicle consists of 5-13 spikes which are 2.5-5 cm long. The bracts are sheath, ovate and acute. The flowers are much reduced, without perianth and bisexual. The male part is a 3-lobed organ adnate to the upper half of the ovary and with fused stamens. It is 1.2-1.6 mm long and with 3 anthers. The median one is 2-locellate while the lateral ones is 1-locellate which is yellow, greenish-white or violet-white. The female part is composed of a 1-locular ovary with a single ovule. It is partly enclosed by the male part, with subsessile stigma and truncate.
The fruit is a drupe, nearly globular or ellipsoid, measures 5-7 mm in diametre, fleshy, white-cream or rarely tinged violet or pinkish and glossy.
The seed is also nearly globular, yellow-white, minutely apiculate, narrow below, and surrounded by a thin and fibrous endocarp. The testa is with lignified endotestal palisade cells.
Ecology / Cultivation
In the wild, Chloranthus erectus grows in primary and secondary tropical forests at (20) 50-1450 (-2550) m altitude. At higher altitudes, it is often found in Araucaria and Nothofagus-Castanopsis forests, often on limestone. Its lowland forest habitats include Pandanus and palm forests, riverine forests, and boggy areas.
Line Drawing / Photograph
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References
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Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.16: Stimulants.
