Hypserpa nitida (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Hypserpa nitida Miers

Family: Menispermaceae

Synonyms

Hypserpa cuspidata (Hook.f. & Thoms.) Miers.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: akar sencaw (Bangka), akar suganda (Kalimantan)
• Malaysia: akar minjak
• Philippines: lalapau, mamana (Subanon), pagduh-bay
• Thailand: haen kuem.

Distribution

From India and Sri Lanka through Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo and Sulawesi to the Philippines.

Uses

The stems are used for tying and are made into rough rope. In the Philippines the bast fibre has been made into bow string. Unspecified medicinal use is recorded from Thailand.

Observations

A scandent, dioecious shrub. Leaves alternate; petiole 0.8-2 cm long; blade elliptical to ovate, up to 12 cm × 7 cm, base obtuse, rounded or obtuse, usually 3-veined. Inflorescence cymose to thyrsoid; flowers yellow, 1-2 mm long, sepals 7-11, petals 5. Fruit a drupe, 5-8 mm in diameter, yellow to red. H. nitida is a forest species occurring up to 2000 m altitude.

Selected sources

20, 30, 45, 47, 49, 51, 54, 115.

Authors

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