Smythea lanceata (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Smythea lanceata (Tul.) Summerh.

Family: Rhamnaceae

Synonyms

Smythea pacifica Seemann, Ventilago lanceata Tul.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: lian, tali bubu (Ambon)
• Malaysia: bulang akar.

Distribution

From Malaysia to the central Pacific.

Uses

The long, slender branches are possibly used for tying fish traps and in boat-building, due to their toughness and durability under water. They are prepared by heating over a fire to make them supple, after which they are twisted together.

Observations

A woody climber. Leaves distichous, simple, minutely stipulate; petiole about 3 mm long; blade ovate-oblong, 6-13.5 cm × 2.5-5.5 cm, base oblique or acute, margin shallowly serrate to entire-undulate, apex obtusely acuminate, with 3-5 pairs of veins. Inflorescence an axillary fascicle; flowers 4-5 mm in diameter; calyx 5-parted; petals cucullate, clawed, emarginate, greenish-yellow. Fruit a drupe, 3.5-4.5 cm long, 1-seeded. S. lanceata is found near the sea, on seashores, especially in mangroves. There is doubt about its identity. In the older literature it has been treated under the names Ventilago madraspatana Gaertner, Ventilago cernua Tul. and Ventilago sp. A revision of the genera Smythea Seem. ex A. Gray and Ventilago Gaertn. is overdue.

Selected sources

6, 20, 71, 147.

Authors

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