Pothos scandens (PROSEA)
Introduction |
- Protologue: Sp. pl. 2: 968 (1753).
- Family: Araceae
- Chromosome number: 2n= 24
Synonyms
Pothos zollingerianus Schott (1855), Pothos hermaphroditus (Blanco) Merr. (1918).
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: klabangan (Javanese), tapanawa kecil (Ambon)
- Malaysia: seginting, juloh-juloh (Peninsular)
- Philippines: apis (Tagalog), hipan, oro-ola (Bikol). Burma (Myanmar): wai mai (Shan)
- Laos: cha-kep, ma nok hon
- Thailand: cha khep (central), waai tamoi (Uttaradit), kho kiu (Surat Thani, Yala)
- Vietnam: ráy leo.
Origin and geographic distribution
P. scandens has an extremely large area of distribution: Madagascar, the Comores, the Seychelles, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, southern China (Yunnan), Thailand, and the whole Malesian region except New Guinea.
Uses
In Peninsular Malaysia the leaves of P. scandens are applied externally to the abdomen of children to expel worms, and an infusion is used as a bath to treat convulsions. A powder of the leaves is applied to smallpox, and the steam from the heated stem, mixed with camphor, is inhaled against asthma. P. scandens is used in traditional medicine in Thailand as a blood coagulant, mainly to treat wounds, and as an antipyretic; fruits and leaves are applied as a compress. In Vietnam stems and leaves are used to treat fractures, bruises, swellings, ecchymosis and rheumatism. The lignified, tough central cylinder of the stem is often used for binding and basket-work.
Several other, non-Malesian species including P. chinensis (Raf.) Merr., P. kerrii Buchet ex P.C. Boyce, P. pilulifer Buchet ex P.C. Boyce and P. repens (Lour.) Druce are used for similar purposes in Indo-China, southern China and Thailand, and additionally to treat epilepsy, infantile paralysis, cough, indigestion and urinary problems.
Properties
Medicinal preparations from P. scandens are bitter and acrid. An ethanol-water (1:1) extract exhibited antispasmodic activity against histamine.
Botany
A root-climbing liana up to 6 m long; stem weakly angled or terete, up to 1 cm in diameter. Leaves distichously alternate, simple and entire, ovate to elliptical or lanceolate, 3-14 cm × 2-10 cm, rounded to cuneate at base, attenuate-mucronate at apex, entire, with 2 intramarginal veins per side and numerous parallel small veins; petiole 2-14 cm long, broadly winged, truncate, rounded or auriculate at apex; stipules absent. Inflorescence a solitary spadix in leaf axil, with spathe at base; spadix with stipe sharply bent at anthesis, globose to ovoid, 4-10 mm in diameter, yellowish-green to dirty white; spathe ovate, 4-8 mm long, margins variously inrolled, greenish to maroon. Flowers bisexual, 1-2 mm in diameter, with 6 tepals, 6 stamens, and a superior, 3-celled ovary, stigma sessile, punctiform. Fruit an obclavate berry 1-1.5 cm long, 1-5 per infructescence, ripening to deep scarlet, 1-3-seeded. Seeds ellipsoid to compressed-globose, 3-6 mm in diameter, with smooth testa, lacking albumen.
On germination, P. scandens produces a thread-like shoot with congested leaves. This shoot is shade-seeking and able to extend over a considerable distance along the forest floor. When a suitable vertical surface is encountered, the shoot attaches itself to the substrate by means of short clasping roots, and starts climbing. By the time the plant has reached 2-3 m height plagiotropic side branches develop to form extensive curtains of foliage. Flowering shoots arise from the leaf axils of these side branches.
Pothos comprises approximately 70 species and is distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions from Madagascar to southern China, eastern Australia and western Oceania. The greatest diversity is found in Malesia, particularly in Borneo. Pothos belongs in the tribe Potheae together with 2 monospecific genera, Pedicellarum and Pothoidium , from the Malesian region. P. scandens is highly variable, but unmistakable with its small inflorescences on bent stalks.
Ecology
P. scandens grows on trees and rocks in primary and secondary, wet to dry forests in the lowland and mountains up to 2100 m altitude. Sometimes it is found in hedges, scrub vegetation and plantations, or on sea cliffs.
Management The stems and leaves of P. scandens are harvested from the wild and dried in the sun.
Genetic resources
P. scandens is very widespread in widely divergent habitats and not in danger of genetic erosion.
Prospects
Although P. scandens is widely used in traditional medicine, there is no information on its phytochemistry and pharmacological properties. Research seems worthwhile in view of its similar applications in widely divergent regions, and is needed to confirm the reputed activities.
Literature
106, 121, 971.
Other selected sources
88, 334, 611.
Main genus page
Authors
Nguyen Van Dzu