Clerodendrum viscosum (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Clerodendrum viscosum Vent.
- Protologue: Jard. Malmaison 1: 25 (1803).
Synonyms
Clerodendrum infortunatum auct. non L., Clerodendrum buchananii auct.
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: kembang bugang (Sundanese), tintinga (Balinese), marurang (Ambonese)
- Thailand: naang yaem paa, ping hep (northern), khee khom (peninsular)
- Vietnam: bạch dộng nam, ngọc nữ vòm.
Distribution
Native from Pakistan and Nepal through northern India, Burma (Myanmar) and Thailand, to southern China and Indo-China, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines; widely cultivated throughout South-East Asia and naturalized in Brazil.
Uses
In the Moluccas, the root is used as an antidote for Antiaris poisoning and dysentery. Heated leaves are applied as a poultice on a swollen stomach. Pounded, they are applied to burns, ulcers and boils. Furthermore, leaves are an ingredient of a herbal bath for newborns. In Thailand, the root is considered diuretic and used in the treatment of intestinal infections and kidney dysfunction. A decoction of the ground root is taken as a galactagogue. In Vietnam, leaf sap is used as an antiseptic skin wash. Leaves and roots in decoction are used against leucorrhoea, menstrual disorders and jaundice. An infusion or poultice of the leaves is applied for angina. In India, various parts of the plant are used in local medicine as a remedy for skin diseases.
Observations
A shrub or treelet up to 3 m tall, nodes not annulate; leaves elliptical to ovate, 6-25 cm × 3.5-20 cm, base cordate to acute, apex acute or short-acuminate, margin denticulate or serrate, rarely entire, sparingly to densely pubescent on both surfaces, petiole 2-19 cm long; cymes combined in a terminal panicle, 10-25 cm × 10-25 cm; calyx tube 9-16 mm long, deeply 5-lobed, lobes up to 10 mm long, bright green or the lobes red, corolla cylindrical, tube 2 cm long, lobes 0.6-1.5 cm long, white often tinged pink at the mouth of the tube, showy, not fragrant, stamens long exserted, white to purplish, fruiting calyx accrescent to 2 cm long, red to purple; drupe about 1 cm in diameter, bright green turning blue-black or black. This is the plant described by Rumphius as Petasites agrestis . C. viscosum is often considered a synonym of C. infortunatum L. and also closely related to C. villosum Blume. In C. infortunatum the corolla tube is 3-4 times as long as the calyx tube, the calyx lobes have a prominent midrib and the leaves are entire. In C. viscosum the corolla tube is about twice as long as the calyx tube, at most slightly glandular, the calyx lobes without prominent midrib, and the leaves are distinctly dentate. In C. villosum the corolla tube is about as long as the calyx and is densely glandular, and the leaves are entire. C. viscosum is found in thickets and village groves from sea-level up to 500 m altitude.
Selected sources
74, 169,
- Chuakul, W., Saralamp, P., Paonil, W., Temsiririrkkul, R. & Clayton, T. (Editors), 1997. Medicinal plants in Thailand. Vol. II. Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. 248 pp.263, 407, 459, 688, 739, 786, 788.
Authors
J.L.C.H. van Valkenburg & N. Bunyapraphatsara
