Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl.
Family
Araceae
Synonyms
Scindapsus pinnatus (L.) Schott, Rhaphidophora pinnata (L.) Schott, Rhaphidophora merrillii Engl.
Vernacular Names
| Indonesia | Lolo munding (Sundanese), jalu mampang (Javanese), samblung (Balinese). |
| Thailand | Ngot, ngot khao (Surin), naang rong (Trat). |
| Philippines | Tabatib (Tagalog), takotin (Bisaya), amlong (Bikol, Bisaya). |
| Vietnam | R[as]y leo l[as] x[er], r[as]y ng[os]t. |
Geographical Distributions
Epipremnum pinnatum is very widely distributed, from Bangladesh, the Andaman Islands, Burma (Myanmar), Vietnam and probably also Laos, southern China, southern Japan, through Thailand and the whole of Malesia, to Queensland (Australia) and many islands in the Pacific.
Description
Epipremnum pinnatum is a large climber that can grow up to 15 m long. Its stem is up to 4 cm in diametre. It is lustrous green with irregular longitudinal whitish crests but becoming pale brown later, with numerous clasping roots and a few feeding roots.
The leaves are arranged alternately, ovate to oblong-elliptical in outline, usually regularly pinnatifid, measuring 10-93 cm x 5-60 cm, rounded to slightly cordate at the base, acute to acuminate at apex and sometimes minutely perforated. The petiole is 20-60 cm long, canaliculate, with petiolar sheath which later falls off to leave a brownish scar, basically and apically distinctly geniculate. Stipules are absent.
The inflorescence is cylindrical, whitish, yellowish or greenish, and with spadix up to 25 cm long which is enveloped by a boat-shaped greenish spathe withering after anthesis and caducous. The peduncle is stout and measures up to 21.5 cm long. The flowers are bisexual and without perianth. There are 4 stamens. The ovary is superior, with trapezoid stylar region and linear stigma.
The fruit is a greenish berry, densely packed in a cylindrical infructescence which is oblique at the base and with a few seeds embedded in sticky orange-red pulp. The brownish seeds are curved, measuring about 4.5 mm x 3.5 mm, with bony testa and ornamented.
Ecology / Cultivation
Epipremnum pinnatum occurs in primary and secondary rainforests and monsoon forest, up to 1600 m altitude. It is sometimes a weed in rubber plantations, and grows occasionally on rocks and in coastal forests.
Line Drawing / Photograph
Read More
1) Poisonous
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(3): Medicinal and poisonous plants 3.
