Acalypha siamensis Oliv. ex Gage
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Synonyms
A. evrardii Gagnep., A. sphenophylla Pax & K. Hoffm.
Vernacular Names
Malaysia | Teh hutan, teh kampung, tumput. |
English | Wild tea. |
Indonesia | Pokok teh (Sumatra), teh-tehan (Javanese). |
Cambodia | taè préi. |
Thailand | Cha-khoi (Northern), cha-ruesei (Central), phakduk (South-western). |
Vietnam | tr[af] c[oj]c r[af]o, tai t[uw][owj]ng xi[ee]m, ch[ef] m[ax]n h[ar]o. |
Geographical Distributions
Native in Peninsular Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and currently cultivated in Thailand, peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia.
Description
Acalypha siamensis is a shrub or small scrambling tree that can grow up to 4 m tall.
The leaves are rhombic-lance-shaped, measuring 2-10 cm x 1-5 cm, serrate margin, hairless while the petiole is less than 1 cm long.
The inflorescence is axillary, racemose-spicate, bisexual and up to 5 cm long while the upper part with 2-3 female flowers at the base and enclosed in a large herbaceous bract.
The fruit is measures 2.5 mm long and covered with long protuberances.
Ecology / Cultivation
A. siamensis is locally common in dry evergreen or mixed forest or scrub vegetation, often on sandy soils, sometimes on limestone up to 400 m altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
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References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12 (2): Medicinal and poisonous plants.