Cnesmone javanica (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Cnesmone javanica Blume
- Protologue: Bijdr. fl. Ned. Ind.: 630 (1826; “ Cnesmosa javanica ”“).
- Family: Euphorbiaceae
- Chromosome number: 2n= unknown
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: pulus areng, pulus jalantong (Sundanese)
- Malaysia: jelatang badak, jelatang gajah, jelatang rusa (Peninsular)
- Thailand: karangtang kwaang (peninsular), tamyae khruea (Saraburi), raachaa se-khue (Karen, Kanchanaburi)
- Vietnam: hồ ly, dây bọ nẹt.
Origin and geographic distribution
C. javanica is distributed in eastern India (Assam), Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Bali and Borneo.
Uses
There is one report from Peninsular Malaysia, stating that the juice of C. javanica is mixed with the latex of Antiaris toxicaria Lesch. to produce a dart poison. In Thailand, it is an ingredient of a compound drug used as an anti-inflammatory.
Botany
A monoecious slender, herbaceous or slightly woody climber, with stinging hairs. Leaves alternate, distichous, simple, oblong or ovate-cordate, 6-22 cm × 3-13 cm, cordate at base, margin with acuminate teeth, on both sides with patent hairs and scattered bristles, 3-veined from the base; petiole 1.5-11 cm long; stipules oblong, up to 1 cm long, persistent. Inflorescence an axillary or leaf-opposed, bracteate raceme up to 11 cm long, on a peduncle up to 13 cm long, at base with 1 or 2 female flowers, upwards with many male flowers. Flowers unisexual, with 3-lobed perianth (petals absent) up to 1 cm long; male flowers with 3 stamens alternating with the perianth lobes, filaments thick, widened towards the apex, connective broad, with incurved appendage; female flowers with superior, depressed, 3-celled ovary, styles 3, shortly connate, fleshy, strongly papillose, persistent. Fruit a (2-)3-lobed capsule c. 1.5 cm in diameter, seated on the calyx, velutinous and hispid, each cell 1-seeded. Seeds globose, with a fleshy outer layer.
C. javanica can be found flowering and fruiting throughout the year.
Cnesmone comprises about 10 species, and occurs from eastern India and southern China to western Malesia. It belongs to the tribe Plukenetieae and is related to Megistostigma . Blume published the genus as Cnesmosa in 1826, but 2 years later he corrected the name into Cnesmone .
Ecology
C. javanica occurs in evergreen forest, often in open locations, bamboo forest, brushwood and young forest, in Java up to 300 m altitude, in Thailand up to 500 m. It is common in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia.
Genetic resources
C. javanica is widely distributed, locally common, and often occurs in disturbed habitats. It is therefore unlikely to be at risk of genetic erosion, although it appears to be more rare in some regions, e.g. Sumatra and Borneo.
Prospects
There is hardly any information on the uses and no information at all on the properties of C. javanica . It seems unlikely that it will become more important in the future.
Literature
62, 121.
Other selected sources
19, 20, 22, 23, 990.
Main genus page
Authors
Raharni
