Borreria laevis (Lamk) Griseb.
Family
Rubiaceae
Synonyms
Spermacoce tenuior L., Spermacoce laevis Lamk.
Vernacular Names
|
Indonesia |
Jugul, katumpang lemah (Sundanese). |
|
Philippines |
Akupao. |
|
Vietnam |
Ru[ooj]t g[af] l[as] nh[awx]n. |
|
Papua New Guinea |
Kanan (Lalibu, Southern Highlands). |
Geographical Distributions
Borreria laevis is native to tropical America, nowadays almost pantropical, throughout Southeast Asia but not recorded in Kalimantan.
Description
Borreria laevis is an erect, annual to perennial herb, which mainly branches from the base. The stems are decumbent or ascending. It can grow up to 15-50 cm tall with long and thin taproot.
The leaves are oblong-lance-shaped, measure 2.5-6 cm x 0.8-2 cm, acuminate at apex, smooth and usually tinged dark purple.
The lateral veins are conspicuous below. The fascicles are axillary, dense and slender bracts between the flowers are visible. The sepal is narrowly obconical, sparsely hairy, 4-lobed and with narrow lobes 0.5-1 mm long while the petal is funnel-shaped, about 3 mm long, white, glabrous inside tube, with ovate lobes, often purplish-rimmed and sparsely hairy inside. The capsule is obconical and 2-3 mm long.
The seed is oblong, 1.5-2 mm long, transversely wrinkled and brown.
Ecology / Cultivation
Borreria laevis occurs in regions with a short or pronounced rainy season, on sunny or lightly shaded localities, in grasslands, along roadsides, in rice fields, often on hard soils, often abundant, from sea level up to 1200(-2000) m altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2.
