Poikilospermum suaveolens (Blume) Merrill
Family
Cecropiaceae
Synonyms
Conocephalus suaveolens Blume, Conocephalus violaceus (Blanco) Merrill, Poikilospermum amoenum (King ex Hook.f.) Merrill.
Vernacular Names
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Malaysia |
Akar setawan, centawan, mentawan (Peninsular). |
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Indonesia |
Mentawan (Malay), besto (Javanese), areuy kakejoan (Sundanese). |
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Philippines |
Anopol (Igorot, Bikol), hanopol, kanupul (Tagalog). |
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Cambodia |
Krâpë rôô. |
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Thailand |
Airai (Bangkok), charai (Peninsular), khaman (South-eastern). |
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Vietnam |
Sung d[aa]y, rum th[ow]m. |
Geographical Distributions
Poikilospermum suaveolens is widespread and is found in India, Indo-China, South-eastern China, Thailand, the Nicobar Islands, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, the Moluccas and the Philippines.
Description
Poikilospermum suaveolens is an epiphytic, dioecious, evergreen, stout and woody climber or scrambler.
The leaf blade is broadly ovate to elliptical or obovate, measuring 10-40 cm x 6-25 cm and usually hairless. The leaf base is wedge-shaped to distinctly cordate and acute to obtuse at apex.
The flowers are in pseudo-umbellules. The male flower is sessile. There are (2-)4 tepals which are strongly incurved. There are (2-)4 stamens. The female flower is pedicellate and with 4-lobed perianth. The stigma is with ligule.
The one-seeded fruit is entirely covered by the persistent perianth.
Ecology / Cultivation
Poikilospermum suaveolens is found up to 1500 m altitude. It prefers more open forests and brushwoods, but is rare in monsoon forests.
Line Drawing / Photograph
References
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Plant Resources of South-East Asia No.16: Stimulants.