Debregeasia longifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Debregeasia longifolia (Burm.f.) Wedd.

Family: Urticaceae

Synonyms

Debregeasia velutina Gaudich., Urtica longifolia Burm.f.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: mencokan (Javanese), ki tongo (Sundanese), lang-alang (Madurese)
• Thailand: khai plaa (Loei), blaen-kee (Maeo-Chiang Mai).

Distribution

From Indonesia to India and Japan.

Uses

The bark yields a useful, strong, water-resistant fibre, which is locally used for cordage. The fruit clusters are sweet and edible and are used for making wine.

Observations

A shrub or small tree, 1.5-7 m tall; stem slender, 2-4 mm in diameter, sometimes zigzag from node to node. Leaves alternate, simple; stipules 0.5-1 cm long; petiole 4-6 cm long; blade narrowly to broadly ovate or elliptical and (2-)3-5 times as long as wide, to narrowly elliptical or lanceolate up to 10 times as long as wide, often slightly asymmetrical, 4-24 cm × 1.5-6 cm, base tapering to narrowly rounded or slightly cuneate, margin serrate, apex acute or acuminate, with (4-)5-6(-9) pairs of lateral veins. Inflorescence axillary, branched, with densely clustered flowers, up to 1.5 cm long, usually unisexual, rarely arranged with male clusters in lower axils and female clusters towards the apex and intermediate ones in between;male flower clusters 3-5 mm in diameter; female flower clusters 1.5-2.5 mm in diameter; male flowers with 4-5-parted perianth, tepals oblong, about 1.5 mm long; female flowers with 4-parted or lobed perianth, stigma linear, persistent, minute. Fruit an obliquely ovoid or orbicular, laterally slightly compressed achene, up to 0.8 mm long. D. longifolia is found in moist locations, especially in forests, on river banks and on well-watered mountain sides at 200-2500 m altitude.

The use of another Debregeasia as a fibre plant has been recorded for Indonesia: D. saeneb (Forssk.) Hepper & Wood(synonyms: D. hypoleuca Wedd., D. salicifolia (Roxb. ex D. Don) Rendle). However, its distribution is limited to India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and tropical Africa, and it does not occur in Indonesia. The bark fibre is used in India and Pakistan to make rope and fishing lines. Uses recorded for this species from Indonesia should be attributed to D. longifolia . In New Guinea the bark fibre of an unidentified Debregeasia species is made into string for women's garments, net bags, fishing nets, ropes and for tying in

house construction.

Selected sources

6, 20, 30, 71, 124, 138, 197, 199, 200.

Authors

M. Brink, P.C.M. Jansen & C.H. Bosch