Clematis papuasica (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Clematis papuasica Merr. & Perry

Protologue: Journ. Arn. Arb. 24: 34 (1943).

Clematis pickeringii auct. non A. Gray.

• Indonesia: larate, naowi (Talaud Islands)
• Papua New Guinea: rugu-robu (Bougainville), feriyanuya (Bredabu, Central Province), mungla (Kombo, Western Highlands).

The Talaud Islands, the Moluccas, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Throughout Papua New Guinea crushed leaves are sniffed, to unblock nasal passages and to treat a cold or cough. In the Western Highlands sap from the stem is blown into a red swollen eye. In the Solomon Islands pounded leaves are applied to the forehead as a febrifuge.

A liana up to 10 m long, stems cylindrical, with 12 distinct and 12 indistinct ribs; leaves ternate or rarely simple, leaflets elliptical, ovate-lanceolate, oblong or rounded, (5-)10-17(-19) cm × (2.5-)5-9(-15) cm, base cuneate to somewhat cordate, apex long-cuspidate to rounded, entire to somewhat wavy; inflorescence an axillary panicle-like raceme; male flowers with tepals oblong, (3-)7-9(-10) mm × (1-)1.5-2.5(-3) mm, white or tinged yellow, somewhat fragrant, and 20-30(-45) stamens, female flowers with tepals oblong or oblong-elliptical, 11-13 mm × 2.5-4 mm, spreading, 6-8 staminodes and 20-30 carpels; nutlets oblique-ovate, c. 6 mm long, densely pubescent, plumose tail (4-)6-8 cm long. C. papuasica occurs in secondary forest, forest fringes and thickets, from sea-level up to 2000 m altitude.

226, 347, 353, 355, 361, 438.

• '

J.L.C.H. van Valkenburg