Apostasia nuda (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Apostasia nuda R.Br.
- Protologue: Wallich, Pl. asiat. rar. 1: 76 (1830).
- Family: Orchidaceae
- Chromosome number: 2n= 48
Synonyms
Apostasia brunonis Griff. (1851), Apostasia lobbii Reichenb. f. (1872), Adactylus nudus (R.Br.) Rolfe (1896).
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: si sarsar bulung, si marsari-sari, duhut bane-bane (Sumatra)
- Malaysia: pokok pelampas budak, kenching pelandok, menkuang tikus (Peninsular). Singapore: carmion
- Vietnam: cổ lan trần.
Origin and geographic distribution
A. nuda occurs in Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, southern Vietnam, peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Bangka, western Java and Borneo.
Uses
In Peninsular Malaysia, a decoction of A. nuda roots has been used as a poultice to treat diarrhoea, and a decoction of the fruits to treat sore eyes. A. wallichii R.Br. has reportedly been used against diabetes in Peninsular Malaysia.
Botany
An erect, completely glabrous terrestrial herb with scaly rhizome and aerial roots from the lower part; stem often branched, up to 60(-70) cm tall. Leaves alternate, distinctly spaced, linear-lanceolate, (13-)17-27(-45) cm × 0.5-1.5 cm, tapering into an apical filiform tubular prolongation, veins numerous. Inflorescence a terminal branched and pendulous raceme, with a tuft of sterile bracts at base. Flowers slightly zygomorphic, 3-merous; pedicel short, irregularly ribbed; sepals and petals recurved, keeled and cuspidate, white or yellow; stamens 2, on a column formed by the base of the filaments and of the style; ovary inferior, cylindrical and triangular in cross-section, 3-locular, style free in upper part, stigma distinct. Fruit a thin-walled capsule with numerous seeds. Seeds regularly alveolate to nearly smooth, with apical appendage.
A. nuda can be found flowering and fruiting throughout the year.
Apostasia consists of 7 species and is distributed from Nepal and Sri Lanka to Japan and Queensland (Australia); 6 species occur in Malesia. Apostasia is often considered as belonging to Orchidaceae . However, it differs by the 2 anthers borne on separate filaments and the free style and stigma, and is placed by some authors in a separate family Apostasiaceae together with Neuwiedia . There is still considerable disagreement in literature whether Apostasia and Neuwiedia should be considered to represent a separate, primitive group (tribe or subfamily) in Orchidaceae , or a separate family. The possession of predominantly simple perforation plates in root vessels seems to point to a position as a sister group to the orchids and not to an ancestral position. Apostasia resembles Curculigo ( Hypoxidaceae ), but it does not seem closely related.
Ecology
A. nuda occurs in the undergrowth of primary forest, mostly on hills and mountain slopes at 100-1300 m altitude.
Genetic resources
Apostasia species are restricted to a type of habitat that is under increasing pressure: the undergrowth of lowland primary rain forest. Therefore, they may easily become endangered, especially the species with limited distribution (e.g. A. latifolia Rolfe and A. parvula Schltr.) and those which are rare (e.g. A. elliptica J.J. Smith). A. nuda may already be suffering from genetic erosion in parts of its fairly large area of distribution.
Prospects
Research is needed to confirm the reputed beneficial effects of A. nuda in traditional medicine of Peninsular Malaysia.
Literature
121, 203.
Other selected sources
249, 334, 440, 890.
Main genus page
Authors
Diah Sulistiarini
