Finlaysonia obovata (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Finlaysonia obovata Wallich

Family: Asclepiadaceae

Synonyms

• Finlaysonia maritima Backer ex Heyne.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: kalak kambing, oyod kambing (Java)
• Malaysia: pelir kambing
• Philippines: tulus-baybay (Hanunoo)
• Thailand: kraphopla (eastern)
• Vietnam: phin lai sôn.

Distribution

Widely distributed from India to South-East Asia and Australia.

Uses

In the Moluccas the salty leaves are eaten raw.

Observations

• Woody liana with white latex, up to 5 m long, bark papery.
• Leaf-blade obovate-oblong to elliptical, 4-15 cm × 2-8 cm, coriaceous, glabrous; petiole 1-2 cm long.
• Fruit a widely divergent pair of follicles; follicle ovoid, 5-8 cm long, ribbed, hooked acuminate at apex.

In mangrove swamps and on banks of tidal rivers.

Selected sources

7, 34, 42, 44.