Trachyspermum roxburghianum (PROSEA)
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Introduction |
Trachyspermum roxburghianum (DC.) H. Wolff
- Protologue: Das Pflanzenreich IV. 228, Heft 90: 129 (1927).
- Family: Umbelliferae
- Chromosome number: 2n = 20 (polyploids with 2n = 40, 42, 44 have also been reported)
Synonyms
- Ptychotis roxburghiana DC. (1830),
- Carum roxburghianum (DC.) Benth. (1867),
- Trachyspermum involucratum (Royle) H. Wolff (1927)
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: surage (Sundanese), pletikapu (Javanese), renggireng (Aceh)
- Philippines: kanuikui (Manobo), malungkoi (Subanun)
- Thailand: phakchi-lom (Kanchanaburi)
- Vietnam: hoa khồm
Origin and geographic distribution
Surage is a cultigen of unknown origin, but it occurs cultivated and subspontaneously (but not naturalized) throughout South and South-East Asia. In West Java surage is probably a disappearing crop; it has been found cultivated only in home gardens and upland fields in a very restricted area around Cileungsi and Kalapanunggal (Bogor Regency).
Uses
Surage is a culinary herb whose leaves are used similarly to parsley for flavouring various dishes. The leaves are also eaten raw or steamed with rice and, in Indo-China, to make a kind of tea. In India, the fruits ("ajmud” in Hindustani and "randhuni” in Bengali) constitute one of the lesser-known ingredients of curries. They are also used in pickles, chutneys and preserves. The fruits are a reputed drug in Indian medicine and are used as carminative, stimulant, cardiotonic, emmenagogue, and to alleviate dyspepsia, bronchitis and asthma. Extracts or powders from various parts of surage are very effective against insect pests of stored grains (Callosobruchus chinensis, Sitophilus oryzae, Trogoderma granarium), and against housefly (Musca domestica).
Production and international trade
T. roxburghianum is only produced and traded locally; no export trade exists. Production is quite considerable in India, but is small in South-East Asia (no statistics are available).
Properties
No information is available on the composition of the leaves of surage. The fruits are very aromatic, both odour and taste are reminiscent of celery; the taste is at first slightly bitter, becoming strongly aromatic and producing a slight numbness of the tongue. They yield up to 2.5% essential oil, up to 4.5% fixed oil, and up to 0.1% of a crystalline ketonic compound. The latter (C13H12O3) has powerful antispasmodic activity, it lowers blood pressure by direct action on the blood vessels.
The essential oil can be obtained by steam distillation. It is greenish-yellow and its main components are limonene 35.1%, α-terpinene 19.4%, piperitone 13.6%, terpineol 5.7%, linalool 4.7%, and thymol 1.7%. The essential oil also lowers blood pressure and has diuretic properties. The fruit residue after essential-oil extraction has cardiotonic properties.
Adulterations and substitutes
The leaves of T. roxburghianum can be used as a substitute for parsley, the fruits can be substituted for celery.
Description
- Annual, erect, aromatic herb, 15-90 cm tall. Stem striate, subglabrous, usually much branched.
- Leaves alternate, pinnately compound; petiole sheathing, up to 1.5 cm long; blade ternately pinnate or 1-2-pinnate, in outline ovate-lanceolate, 3-8 cm × 1-3 cm, segments (leaflets) pinnatifid to pinnatipartite, linear, 0.3-3 cm × 1-3 mm, those of the upper leaves gradually becoming nearly filiform.
- Inflorescence a regular, terminal or axillary, compound umbel; peduncle 2-8 cm long; involucral bracts 2-5, linear-lanceolate, 3-10 mm long, acute; primary rays 2-9, 1-3.5 cm long; involucel bractlets 5-8, filiform, 2-3 mm long, finely ciliate; secondary rays (pedicels) 5-15, 2-7 mm long.
- Calyx teeth 5, small or obscure, hardly 0.1 mm long; petals 5, obcordate with broadly inflexed obtuse apices, about 1.3 mm × 0.8 mm, white or greenish-white, hirsute; stamens 5, radiating; pistil with compressed, glandular hairy ovary, 2 deflexed styles arising from a conical stylopodium, each style ending in a semi-globose stigma.
- Fruit a laterally flattened, ovoid to subglobose schizocarp, 1-2.5 mm × 1-2 mm, rather densely covered with short, thick, white hairs, easily splitting into 2, one-seeded mericarps; mericarp convex dorsally, flat ventrally, with 5 prominent longitudinal ribs alternating with a furrow in each of which 3 undulating oil ducts (usually 1 large and 2 smaller ones) are present and with 2 oil ducts on the commissural side.
- Seed with testa adnate to the mericarp wall.
Growth and development
Almost nothing has been published on growth and development of T. roxburghianum. It can be found flowering year-round. If its growth is comparable to that of T. ammi (L.) Sprague ex Turrill, flowering starts 3-4 months after sowing and fruits are mature 2 months later. In T. ammi 70-80% cross-pollination occurs.
Other botanical information
The taxonomy of T. roxburghianum and related species is not well settled and the authority of the name is often erroneously given as (DC.) Craib or (Wall.) Craib. A complete revision of the genus Trachyspermum Link and related genera is badly needed. The number of oil ducts (vittae) in the fruit wall is considered an important diagnostic character. According to the latest revision of Trachyspermum by Wolff, the oil ducts in each furrow (vallecula) should be singular, but contrary to this concept trivittate species (like T. roxburghianum) were also included in Trachyspermum.
T. stictocarpum (C.B. Clarke) H. Wolff is considered as the wild ancestor of T. roxburghianum. It is common in India and occurs in Sri Lanka as a rare introduction from India. The plant and its fruits are usually smaller than those of T. roxburghianum, and it also has 3 oil ducts between the ribs of the fruits.
T. ammi ("bishop's weed”) is a well-known and much cultivated fruit spice in India ("ajowan”), the Mediterranean and Ethiopia ("netch azmud”), and is also used medicinally (the thymol in its essential oil has strong antiseptic properties). In South-East Asia it is primarily used and occasionally cultivated as a medicinal plant. Its fruits always have only one oil duct between the ribs.
Ecology
In South-East Asia surage is grown on a small scale in home gardens, in flowerpots, on drained rice fields, and in upland fields, up to about 750 m altitude. It seems to prefer not too heavy, fertile, calcareous soils.
Agronomy
Propagation is by seed. Agronomic practices are probably similar to those for T. ammi, which is sown broadcast, as a sole crop in home gardens or more often in fields mixed with grain crops. The seed needs a light covering of soil. In India T. ammi is sown in rows 45 cm apart and 30 cm between plants. Its cultivation needs no particular care except weeding. The crop is not usually manured or fertilized, though this may improve yield. On light soils in India T. ammi is irrigated if rainfall is insufficient. Disease and pest problems are not serious. A leaf-spot caused by Cercospora roxburghii has been reported on T. roxburghianum in India. Fruits may be attacked by spice beetle or drugstore beetle in storehouses. If stored dry in an airtight container, the fruits keep their flavour for a very long time (at least 40 years), even in hot climates.
Genetic resources and breeding
There are no known germplasm collections or breeding programmes for T. roxburghianum.
Prospects
T. roxburghianum deserves more attention in South-East Asia. The leaves and fruits are useful as a condiment, the fruits yield an essential oil which can also be applied medicinally. It is easy to grow, store and transport.
Literature
- Dave, Y.S. & Menon, A.R.S., 1989. Systematic and comparative value of fruit architecture in Trachyspermum species. Feddes Repertorium 100: 251-256.
- Ochse, J.J. & Bakhuizen van den Brink, R.C., 1980. Vegetables of the Dutch East Indies. 3rd English edition (translation of "Indische groenten”, 1931). Asher & Co., Amsterdam, the Netherlands. pp. 702-703.
- Siemonsma, J., Darlina & Jajang, 1998. Surage: a lost crop of the Sundanese? Prosea Newsletter No 20. Prosea Network Office, Bogor, Indonesia.
- Tardieu-Blot, M.-L., 1967. Trachyspermum. In: Vidal, J.E. et al. (Editors): Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam. Vol. 5. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Phanérogamie, Paris, France. pp. 45-46.
- The Wealth of India (various editors), 1948-1976. A dictionary of Indian raw materials and industrial products: raw materials. Publications and Information Directorate, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, India. Vol. 10. pp. 271-272.
- Wolff, H., 1927. Umbelliferae. Trachyspermum. In: Engler, A. (Editor): Das Pflanzenreich [The plant kingdom] IV. 228. Heft 90. Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, Germany. pp. 57, 87-92, 129.
Sources of illustrations
Tardieu-Blot, M.-L., 1967. Trachyspermum. In: Vidal, J.E. et al. (Editors): Flore du Cambodge, du Laos et du Vietnam. Vol. 5. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Laboratoire de Phanérogamie, Paris, France. Figs 6 & 11, pp. 49 & 71. Redrawn and adapted by P. Verheij-Hayes.
Authors
- J.S. Siemonsma & P.C.M. Jansen
