Laportea interrupta (PROSEA)
Introduction |
Laportea interrupta (L.) Chew
- Protologue: Gard. Bull. Sing. 21: 200 (1965).
- Family: Urticaceae
Synonyms
- Urtica interrupta L. (1753),
- Fleurya interrupta (L.) Wight (1853).
Vernacular names
- Papua New Guinea: loogum (Nasingalatu, Morobe Province), o’onu (Delena, Central Province), bobwwiar (Kurtatchi, North Bougainville)
- Philippines: lipang aso (Tagalog), dalamo, langala (Bisaya)
- Thailand: kalangtang kai (peninsular), tamyae tuamia (central), haan kai (northern)
- Vietnam: han, mán.
Distribution
Throughout the Old World tropics.
Uses
In the Philippines, the leaves are applied to carbuncles, a decoction of the root is taken as a diuretic, and also prescribed as a remedy for coughs and asthma. In Morobe Province (Papua New Guinea), the leaves are rubbed on the head to relieve headache. In coastal regions the leaves are rubbed on the stomach to ease stomach-ache. In Bougainville, the flowers are externally applied to sores on the sole of feet. In the Central Province, the plant is boiled together with Phyllanthus amarus Schum., P. debilis Klein ex Willd. or P. urinaria L. and the solution drunk to relieve whooping cough. In Thailand, the whole plant is used as expectorant and anthelmintic.
Observations
- A monoecious, annual herb up to 2 m tall, woody at base, with irritant hairs towards the apex.
- Leaves ovate to broadly ovate, (5-)8-12(-18) cm × (3-)5-7(-12) cm, base obtuse, rounded to slightly cordate, apex acuminate, margin serrate, glabrous with few scattered irritant hairs, petiole (3-)5-8(-12) cm long, irritant hairs present, stipules 3-5 mm long, almost glabrous.
- Panicle bisexual, side-branches solitary, often suppressed, up to 30 cm long, flowers fasciculate at intervals along elongated peduncle.
- Male flowers pedicellate, tepals corniculate, few irritant hairs present, filaments reflexed, interfloral bracts present.
- Female flowers pedicellate, pedicel slightly winged dorsi-ventrally, glabrous except for a few irritant hairs, stigma linear, trifid, reflexed, the central branch to 0.5 mm long, interfloral bracts minute.
- Achenes asymmetrically ovoid, sessile, about 1.3 mm long, completely surrounded by a narrow membranaceous wing, on each lateral side a triangular ridge enclosing a warty depression, perianth reflexed, pedicel slightly or not winged dorsi-ventrally; achene dispersed with perianth and upper portion of pedicel attached.
L. interrupta is common in disturbed habitats under partial shade at low elevations.
Selected sources
- [74] Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr, R.C., 1964—1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands. Vol. 1 (1964) 647 pp., Vol. 2 (1965) 641 pp., Vol. 3 (1968) 761 pp.
- [128] Brown, W.H., 1951—1957. Useful plants of the Philippines. Reprint of the 1941—1943 edition. 3 volumes. Technical Bulletin 10. Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Bureau of Printing, Manila, the Philippines. Vol. 1 (1951) 590 pp
- [241] de Padua, L.S., Lugod, G.C. & Pancho, J.V., 1977—1983. Handbook on Philippine medicinal plants. 4 volumes. Documentation and Information Section, Office of the Director of Research, University of the Philippines at Los Baños, the Philippines.
- [418] Holdsworth, D.K., 1977. Medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea. Technical Paper No 175. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 123 pp.
- [421] Holdsworth, D.K., 1987. Traditional medicinal plants of the Central Province of Papua New Guinea. Part III. International Journal of Crude Drug Research 25(2): 103—112.
- [429] Holdsworth, D.K. & Damas, K., 1986. Medicinal plants of the Morobe Province. Part III. The Finschhafen Coast. International Journal of Crude Drug Research 24: 217—225.
- [810] Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
Main genus page
Authors
- J.L.C.H. van Valkenburg