Willughbeia edulis (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Willughbeia edulis Roxb.

Protologue: Apocynaceae

Willughbeia cochinchinensis (Pierre) K.Schum., W. curtisiana (Pierre) K.Schum., W. dulcis Ridl.

• Malaysia: aguh, akar jitan, buah padang (Peninsular)
• Thailand: ka tang ka tiu (central), khui (peninsular), khui chaang (south-eastern)
• Vietnam: dây guối ta.

Nicobar Islands, India, Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (Peninsular).

Before the coming of para rubber the latex of W. edulis was used to make rubber, although its latex is of inferior quality because it soon becomes resinous and hard. The edible fruit, although full of latex, is said to be soft and sweet. In Cambodia the stem is used in medicines against dysentery, liver complaints and yaws.

Woody climber with glabrous branches containing latex. Leaves opposite; petiole up to 2 cm long; blade elliptical or oblong, 3-25 cm × 1-12 cm, 1-5 times as long as wide, base cuneate to rounded, apex acuminate. Inflorescence an axillary cyme, up to 3 cm long, sometimes 2 in a single leaf axis, with 3-12 flowers; flowers 5-merous; corolla tubular, tube up to 7 mm long, lobes 4-14 mm long. Fruit a globose to ovoid berry, up to 6 cm in diameter, yellow or orange. Seed compressed ovoid, up to about 1.5 cm long.

5, 11, 20, 27, 31, 34.