Abutilon hirtum (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Abutilon hirtum (Lamk) Sweet

Protologue: Hort. Brit. 1: 53 (1826).

Synonyms

• Abutilon graveolens (Roxb. ex Hornem.) Wight & Arn. ex Wight (1833).

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: kecemplok (Javanese), kembang sore besar (Balinese), bunga waktu kuning (Moluccas)
• Malaysia: angouri, bunga petang
• Thailand: khrop chak krawaan (central), top taap (northern), khrop see (peninsular).

Distribution

A. hirtum occurs in the drier tropical regions of the Old World, and is introduced into the Americas. In Malesia, it occurs locally throughout the area, except for Sumatra, the Moluccas and New Guinea.

Uses

In Malesia, A. hirtum is used as a poultice to ease the pain of kidney gravel and often mixed with glutinous rice and applied to ulcers. In Thailand, the roots are used against cough and toothache, and as an antipyretic. The leaves or flowers are applied to abscesses.

Observations

• An undershrub up to about 2.5 m tall; stems, petioles and pedicels densely covered with patent, long, shiny simple hairs, minute stellate hairs, and viscid by short glandular hairs.
• Corolla orange-yellow, usually with a purple centre.
• Seed completely or partly covered with short, patent, white hairs.

In Malesia, A. hirtum is found in waste places and along roadsides, especially in regions with a distinct dry season.

Selected sources

• [786] Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. 620 pp.

Main genus page

• Abutilon

Authors

• Balu Perumal