Poikilospermum microstachys (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Poikilospermum microstachys (Barg.-Petr.) Merr.

Family: Cecropiaceae

Synonyms

Conocephalus microstachys Barg.-Petr.

Vernacular names

• Malaysia: akar sasaran, landong padi.

Distribution

Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. Cultivated in Java (Indonesia).

Uses

The stems seem to be used as rope in Peninsular Malaysia.

Observations

An epiphytic, dioecious woody climber. Leaves spirally arranged; stipules 1-2 cm long, persistent; petiole (3-)4-13 cm long; blade oblanceolate, 12-27 cm × 3-7 cm, base cuneate to round, apex acuminate, with (6-)7-9 pairs of lateral veins. Male inflorescence solitary, paired or numerous, branched once, 0.5-2 cm × 0.5-1.5 cm; flowers sessile or subsessile, 1.5-2 mm × 1.5-2 mm, perianth up to 1.5 mm long, tepals 4, stamens 4, pistillode about 1 mm long. Female inflorescence solitary (rarely paired), branched once, 1-2 cm × 1.5-3 cm; flowers pedicellate, perianth up to 3.5 mm long, 4-lobed. Fruit an achene, 2.5-3.5 mm × 1-1.25 mm, enclosed by persistent perianth. P. microstachys is commonly found in damp forest and along rivers, it is rare in dry and exposed habitats and in dark forest interior. P. subtrinervium (Miq.) Chew (synonym : Conocephalus subtrinervium Miq.), an endemic of Sumatra, has often incorrectly been considered the name for P. microstachys , hence there is confusion in older literature. P. lanceolatum (Trec.) Merr., restricted to the Indian subcontinent and southern China, has been considered a synonym of P. subtrinervium as well but is a species in its own right.

Selected sources

20, 26.

Authors

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