Ludwigia adscendens (L.) H. Hara
Family
Onagraceae
Synonyms
Jussiaea repens L., J. adscendens L.
Vernacular Names
| Malaysia | Tinggir bangau, inai pasir (Peninsular). |
| English | Water primrose. |
| Indonesia | Buang buang (Sumatran), krangking (Javanese), ganggeng landeuh (Sundanese). |
| Papua New Guinea | Agidahano (Kutubu). |
| Philippines | Sigang-dagat (Tagalog), gabi-gabi (Magindanao), tabagan (Ifugao). |
| Thailand | Phak pot nam (Northern), phak phang phuai, phak phaeng phuai (Central). |
| Vietnam | rau d[uwf]a n[uw][ows]c, rau d[uwf]a tr[aa]u, du long th[as]i. |
Geographical Distributions
Ludwigia adscendens is a native of continental Asia, Sri Lanka, southern China, Japan, and also occurs throughout Southeast Asia to northern Australia. L. adscendens is introduced as a weed in tropical Africa.
Description
L. adscendens is a robust, prostrate or ascending herb, much branched and up to measure 60 cm tall. The floating stems are up to measure 4 m long, where the tops are above water, smooth, conspicuous aerophores on the nodes, spindle-shaped and white in colour.
The leaves are broadly oblong-elliptical in shape, with a size of measuring about 0.4-7 cm x 0.7-4 cm, narrowly wedge-shaped base, acute or obtuse apex, with 6-13 pair of veins and with a size of measure 1-2 cm long petiole.
The sepals are 5 in numbers, deltoid and they are measuring about 5-11 mm long. The 5 petals are obovate in shape, with a size of measuring 9-18 mm x 6-10 mm, rounded apex, creamy white and yellow in colour at the base. The stamens are 10 in numbers, with a size of measure 2.5 mm long filaments, single pollen and with 4-8 mm long style.
The capsule is measuring about 1.2-2.7 cm x 0.3-0.4 cm, normally smooth, thick-walled, irregularly dehiscent, conspicuously 10-ribbed and pale brown in colour.
The seeds are evident while the pedicel is 2.5-5.5 cm long. The seeds are uniseriate in each cell, ellipsoid in shape, flattened where each is firmly embedded in a cube of woody endocarp. The dark brown in colour of endocarp is fused to capsule wall.
Ecology / Cultivation
L. adscendens is very common in fresh water pools, swamps, fallow and planted rice fields, and in ditches, as well as occurs from sea-level up to 1600 m altitude. Plants growing under dry conditions have small, crowded leaves, are densely hairy and flower rarely.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12 (2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2.
