Oldenlandia corymbosa L.
Family
Rubiaceae
Synonyms
Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lamk
Vernacular Names
|
Malaysia |
Siku-siku, siku dengan, pokok telur belangkas (Peninsular). |
|
Philippines |
Malaulasiman, ulasimanaso (Tagalog). |
|
Thailand |
Yaa linnguu (Bangkok). |
|
Vietnam |
l[uw] [owx]i r[aws]n, c[os]c m[awr]n. |
Geographical Distributions
Oldenlandia corymbosa is probably native to Africa and India, but now with pantropical distribution; throughout Malaysia.
Description
Oldenlandia corymbosa is a prostrate to decumbent species and a divaricately branched annual herb that can grow up to 60 cm long and with 4-angled branches.
The leaves are narrowly elliptical to linear-lance-shaped and measure up to 3(-5) cm long.
The flowers are (1-)3-8-flowered umbel-like corymb, consisting of petals with spreading lobes and white or pinkish.
The fruit is depressed obovoid or broadly obovoid. The seeds are obconical to depressed obconical and laterally compressed.
Ecology / Cultivation
Oldenlandia corymbosa is particularly common in e.g. cassava, pineapple and maize throughout the tropics. It is also a weed in fields, roadsides, lawns and gardens, preferably in not-too-wet, sunny, stony locations, usually up to 800 m altitude, but sometimes up to 1500 m.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
-
Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12(1): Medicinal and poisonous plants 1.
