Uvaria grandiflora (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Uvaria grandiflora Roxb.

Family: Annonaceae

Synonyms

• Uvaria purpurea Blume.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: kalak, pisang akar (Malay), tali pisang (Moluccas)
• Malaysia: akar larak, larak tahi kuching, akar pisang-pisang tandok
• Philippines: banauak
• Thailand: kluai muu sang (peninsular), kluai phangphon (Trat).

Distribution

A native species of all South-East Asian countries. Sometimes cultivated.

Uses

The fruits are aromatic, eaten raw or preserved. Leaves and roots are applied in traditional medicine against stomachache, abdominal pains, skin diseases. Climbing stems said to be good substitute for rattans.

Observations

• A sturdy climber with large leaves.
• Flowers vermilion-red to purplish, solitary or in 2-3-flowered cymes.
• Fruit composed of distinct carpels (fruitlets); fruitlet berry-like, cylindrical, 4-5.5 cm long, orange and fleshy, slightly constricted between the brown seeds.

Selected sources

• Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd ed. 2 Volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2444 pp.

• Dassanayake, M.D. & Fosberg, F.R. (Editors), 1980-. A revised handbook to the Flora of Ceylon. Vol. 1-6. Published for the Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C., by Amerind Publishing Co., Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

• The Wealth of India, Raw materials (various editors), 1948-1976. 11 Volumes. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen