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<big>''[[Laportea]]'' Gaudich.</big>
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:Protologue: in Freyc., Voy. Uranie: 498 (1830).
:Family: Urticaceae
:Chromosome number: ''x''= 10;''L. bulbifera'': 2''n''= 20, 60
== Major species ==
*''Laportea decumana'' (Roxb.) Wedd., *''L. interrupta'' (L.) Chew.
== Origin and geographic distribution ==
Both aqueous and ethanol extracts of the leaves of ''L. interrupta'' show strong nematicidal activity against ''Meloidogyne incognita'' larvae.
The methanol extract of ''L. aestuans'' , before and after filtering through charcoal, and various fractions were assayed against 12 species of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Extracts were active against 7 of these, especially ''Staphylococcus aureus'' . In subsequent phytochemical screenings, reactions were positive for steroids, but negative for alkaloids, flavonoids and anthraquinones.
== Description ==
*Monoecious, rarely dioecious herbs or shrubs with irritant hairs. *Leaves alternate, simple, variously dentate, chartaceous; petiolate; stipules intrapetiolar, partially connate, bifid. *Inflorescence axillary, paniculate, pedunculate. *Flowers in loose glomerules, pedicels winged; male flowers tepals 4-5, stamens 4-5, filaments reflexed, pistillode small; female flowers, tepals 4, the dorsiventral ones unequal, smaller than the lateral ones, ovary superior, ovoid, style linear, rarely bush-like, staminodes absent. *Fruit an achene, compressed, ovoid to hemispherical, sessile or stipitate, reflexed.
== Growth and development ==
== Other botanical information ==
''Laportea'' comprises 2 sections: ''Laportea'' with 10 species and ''Fleurya'' with 12 species. In section ''Laportea'' the female pedicels are winged laterally. ''Laportea'' is closely related to ''Nanocnide'' , the latter differs in its erect achenes, and the free and lateral stipules.
== Ecology ==
The majority of Malesian species, ''L. aestuans'' , ''L. decumana'' , ''L. interrupta'' and ''L. ruderalis'' , prefer tropical lowland conditions. However, ''L. bulbifera'' (Siebold & Zucc.) Chew has a great climatic tolerance and is found from cool temperate northern China throughout South-East Asia to Sumatra and Java, where it prefers highlands above 1000 m altitude.
== Propagation and planting ==
== Diseases and pests ==
In Costa Rica ''L. aestuans'' is a host for ''Meloidogyne incognita'' , a local pest in banana plantations.
== Harvesting ==
== Prospects ==
Very little information is available about the phytochemistry (only screening) and pharmacology of ''Laportea'' . More research is therefore needed in order to evaluate its potential.
== Literature ==
* Adebajo, A.C., Aladesanmi, A.J. & Oloke, K., 1991. Antimicrobial activity of Laportea aestuans. Fitoterapia 62(6): 504-505.
* Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. p. 421.
* Wadhwa, B.M., 1999. Urticaceae. In: Dassanayake, M.D. & Clayton, W.D. (Editors): A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. Vol. 13. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands & Brookfield, United States. pp. 232-284.
== Selection of species ==
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
*[[Laportea aestuans (PROSEA)|''Laportea aestuans'']]
*[[Laportea decumana (PROSEA)|''Laportea decumana'']]
*[[Laportea interrupta (PROSEA)|''Laportea interrupta'']]
</div>
== Authors ==
*J.L.C.H. van Valkenburg
[[Category:Medicinal plants (PROSEA)]]
[[Category:PROSEA]]
