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Leea (PROSEA)

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<big>''[[Leea]]'' van Royen ex L.</big>
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:Protologue: Syst. Nat. ed. 12, 2 : 627 (1767).
:Family: Leeaceae
:Chromosome number: ''x''= 12;''L. aculeata'': 2''n''= 24,''L. guineensis'': 2''n''= 24,''L. indica'': 2''n''= 20, 22, 24,''L. macrophylla'': 2''n''= 24
== Major species ==
*''Leea guineensis'' G. Don, *''L. indica'' (Burm.f.) Merr.
== Vernacular names ==
== Origin and geographic distribution ==
''Leea'' comprises about 34 species, confined to the Old World tropics. Twenty-five species are endemic to Malesia (with a few extending to Queensland (Australia), Micronesia and Fiji), 1 species is found from tropical Africa and Madagascar, throughout South-East Asia to Micronesia ( ''L. guineensis'' ). 
== Uses ==
The roots, tubers and stems of various ''Leea'' species are mucilageous and astringent. Leaves and twigs have antiseptic properties and are used for poulticing wounds (e.g. ''L. aequata'' , ''L. angulata'' Korth. ex Miq.). In the Philippines, the leaves of ''L. aculeata'' Blume ex Spreng. (synonym ''Leea sandakensis'' Ridley) are used for purifying bad blood. In Java, the sap of ''L. angulata'' is used medicinally. In Peninsular Malaysia, the leaves of ''L. curtisii'' King (synonym ''Leea stipulosa'' Gagnep.) pounded with tobacco are mentioned as a remedy for baldness. In India, the roots of ''L. crispa'' van Royen ex L. are used for guineaworm and the leaves are applied to wounds. In some areas of India ''Leea'' is an important bee plant. Some ''Leea'' species are well-known garden and pot plants in tropical and subtropical regions e.g. ''L. guineensis'' and ''L. indica'' .
== Production and international trade ==
== Properties ==
''L. aequata'' yields 0.15% essential oil on steam distillation. The essential oil inhibits the growth of ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' at a concentration of 10μg/ml in vitro. The oil also inhibits the growth of ''Micrococcus pyogenes'' at 100μg100 μg/ml, and ''Pasteurella pestis'' at 50μg50 μg/ml. Steam distillation of wood or leaves of ''L. guineensis'' also yields an essential oil, consisting of complex mixtures. The essential oil from the wood, however, differs significantly from that of the leaves; in general the wood oil contains more long chain aldehydes and phenylpropanoids, compared to the leaf oil, which is far more rich in terpenoidal compounds.
Phytochemical screening of several ''Leea'' species also showed an abundant presence of phenolic constituents such as flavonoids, leucoanthocyanidins, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid and gallic acid which are e.g. present in the leaves of ''L. guineensis'' , ''L. indica'' , ''L. macrophylla'' and ''L. rubra'' . Tannins may also be present in appreciable amounts in some species.
Further pharmacological effects include a flavonoid sulphate (quercetrin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside-3'-sulphate) isolated from the leaves of ''L. guineensis'' which shows antioxidant activity, and an ethanolic extract of ''L. indica'' which selectively inhibits herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) virus at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.001-0.1 mg/ml.
== Description ==
*Herbaceous plants with a woody base, scramblers, creeping or erect shrubs or small trees; stems with spines or unarmed. *Leaves distichous, 1-foliolate, 3-foliolate, or 1-4-pinnate, usually imperfectly imparipinnate; petiole expanded to form a stipular structure surrounding the stem apex; stipules narrowly sheathing and subpersistent, or large, obovate and caducous. *Inflorescence a leaf-opposed cyme, lax or condensed, erect or pendulous. *Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, 4-5-merous; calyx campanulate, lobes triangular; corolla lobes valvate in bud, apical part of each lobe joined into a keel, reflexed at maturity, basal part joined to each other and the androecium; staminodial tube with an upper portion consisting of 4-5 thickened lobes connate to each other by thinner tissues forming sinuses over which the filaments pass; ovary superior, discoidal, 4-10-locular, each locule with 1 ovule; style short, entire. *Fruit a berry, depressed subglobose. *Seed triangular-ovoid in cross-section, endosperm ruminate. *Seedling with epigeal germination; cotyledons leafy; hypocotyl elongated; all leaves arranged spirally. 
== Growth and development ==
== Other botanical information ==
''Leeaceae'' is a monogeneric family closely allied to the ''Vitaceae'' in the order ''Rhamnales'' , separated because of the development of a complex staminodial tube joined to the corolla, the ovary locules that each have a single ovule, and its pollen morphology.
In the horticultural trade the name ''L. rubra'' is often used for the reddish-leaved forms of ''L. guineensis'' . The genuine ''L. rubra'' is not cultivated. The names ''L. coccinea'' , ''L. manillensis'' and ''L. sambucina'' are still widely used in horticulture. ''L. sambucina'' has been widely misapplied to ''L. guineensis'' in the botanical literature; the name is a synonym of ''L. indica'' .
Distinguishing some forms of ''L. indica'' from ''L. guineensis'' can sometimes only be done on the basis of the flower colour.
== Ecology ==
The majority of the widespread ''Leea'' species are found below 100 m altitude, but a few species ascend occasionally to 1500 m ( ''L. guineensis'' ) or even to 1700 m ( ''L. indica'' ) altitude.
== Propagation and planting ==
== Diseases and pests ==
In Hawaii cultivated ''L. guineensis'' is susceptible to ''Phytophthora meadii'' causing leaf spot, blight, defoliation and death of young plants, and ''Calonectria crotalariae'' causing collar rot and leaf spot. In France, ''Phytophthora nicotianae'' var. ''nicotianea'' may cause problems in ''L. guineensis'' .
== Harvesting ==
== Literature ==
 
* Ali, A.M., Mackeen, M.M., El-Sharkawy, S.H., Hamid, J.A., Ismail, N.H., Ahmad, F.B.H. & Lajis, N.H., 1996. Antiviral and cytotoxic activities of some plants used in Malaysian indigenous medicine. Pertanika 19(2-3): 129-136.
* Ridsdale, C.E., 1974. A revision of the family Leeaceae. Blumea 22(1): 57-100.
* Ridsdale, C.E., 1975. Leeaceae. In: van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (Editor): Flora Malesiana. Series 1, Vol. 7(4). Noordhoff, Leyden, the Netherlands. pp. 755-782.
 
== Selection of species ==
 
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
*[[Leea aequata (PROSEA)|''Leea aequata'']]
*[[Leea guineensis (PROSEA)|''Leea guineensis'']]
*[[Leea indica (PROSEA)|''Leea indica'']]
*[[Leea macrophylla (PROSEA)|''Leea macrophylla'']]
*[[Leea rubra (PROSEA)|''Leea rubra'']]
</div>
== Authors ==
*Tahan Uji
[[Category:Medicinal plants (PROSEA)]]
[[Category:PROSEA]]
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