Clerodendrum villosum (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Clerodendrum villosum Blume

Family: Verbenaceae

Synonyms

Clerodendrum ferrugineum Turcz., C. molle Jack, C. velutinum Wallich ex D. Dietr.

Vernacular names

• Malaysia: chapaneng, labu-labu, tapak kerbau (Peninsular)
• Thailand: chumwan (peninsular), nangyaem-paa (south-eastern), phuangphi-daeng (north-eastern).

Distribution

From India (Assam) to Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo and the Philippines.

Uses

In Peninsular Malaysia the bark has been chewed as a substitute for areca nuts (the endosperm of Areca catechu L.).

Observations

A tomentose shrub, up to 3(-6.5) m tall, with angular branches. Leaves opposite, exstipulate; petiole 4.5-11 cm long; blade simple, broadly ovate, 7-29 cm × 5-21 cm, base cordate to truncate, margin entire, apex acutely acuminate. Flowers in cymes grouped in a terminal panicle 5-18 cm long; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed, enlarged in fruit; corolla zygomorphic, tube about as long as the calyx, segments 7-10 mm long, white with a green top; stamens 4, long exserted, anthers violet; ovary 4-locular with 1 ovule in each cell, style long exserted. Fruit a white drupe, seated on the widely patent-reflexed, white or greenish-white fruiting calyx. C. villosum is fairly common and found in slightly shaded to sunny locations, brushwood, light forest, forest margins and waste places, up to 900 m altitude. It has been reported from Thailand as an endangered plant. In Java it flowers throughout the year.

Selected sources

6, 15, 18, 28, 39, 59, 75.

Authors

M.S.M. Sosef