Osbeckia chinensis L.
Family
Melastomataceae
Synonyms
None
Vernacular Names
| Thailand | Yaa phlong khon (Chumphon), aa noi (Chiang Mai), en aa noi (Ubon Ratchathani). |
| Philippines | Payong-payong, saang-parang (Tagalog), korontillo (Panay Bisaya). |
| Vietnam |
Mua t[es]p. |
Geographical Distributions
Osbeckia chinensis is widely distributed from Indo-China, southern China, Taiwan and southern Japan, through Thailand and the whole of Malesia, to northern Australia.
Description
Osbeckia chinensis is an erect herb or subshrub that can grow up to 70 cm tall and with 4-angled branches.
The leaves are arranged opposite, simple and entire, oblong-lance-shaped, measuring 1-6 cm x 0.5-2 cm, rounded at the base, acute at apex, 3-5-veined from the base and with very short petiole. The stipules are absent.
The inflorescence is a terminal cyme, (1-)5-10-flowered and with involucre of leaves at the base. The flowers are bisexual, 4-merous and sessile. The calyx tube is bell-shaped, measures about 5 mm long, with pectinate scales and tufts of hairs while the calyx lobes are 6-8 mm long. The petals are 1-1.5 cm long which are free and red-purple. There are 8 subequal stamens. The ovary is inferior, adnate to hypanthium, setose at apex, 4-5-celled, with slender style and curved.
The fruit is a slightly spherical capsule, measuring 3-7 mm in diametre, included in the hypanthium, 4-5-valved apical and many-seeded. The seeds are shell-shaped.
Ecology / Cultivation
Osbeckia chinensis can be found in grasslands and roadsides, occasionally in thickets and open forests, up to 2000 m altitude.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
- Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12(3): Medicinal and poisonous plants 3.
