Premna odorata (PROSEA)
Introduction |
Premna odorata Blanco
- Protologue: Fl. Filip.: 488 (1837).
Synonyms
- Premna curranii H.J. Lam (1919),
- Premna benthamiana Domin (1929),
- Premna inaequilateralis E. Beer & H.J. Lam (1936),
- Premna vestita Schauer.
Vernacular names
- Fragrant premna (En)
- Philippines: adgau (Panay Bisaya, Bikol), alagau (Tagalog, Iloko), agdau (Pangasinan), anobran (Iloko), pumuhat (Bisaya).
Distribution
From Nepal, India, Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, China, Taiwan and Japan, through Thailand and probably the whole of Malesia, to Australia; sometimes planted (e.g. in the Philippines, Java, India and Florida).
Uses
The leaves are used as diuretic; a decoction with sugar and a little "calamansi" (× Citrofortunella microcarpa (Bunge) Wijnands) juice is taken to treat cough, and an infusion is considered carminative and useful to treat beri-beri. A decoction of leaves or flowers is considered to be a febrifuge and is also used against abdominal pains and dysentery. Masticating the roots is prescribed against cardiac troubles.
Observations
- A shrub or small tree up to 10(-12) m tall, with bole up to 25(-30) cm in diameter, bark finely flaky fissured.
- Leaves ovate to ovate-rotundate, sometimes ovate-lanceolate, (5-)6.5-16(-20) cm × 4-10(-13.5) cm, mostly entire, sometimes serrate-denticulate in upper half, pubescent all over, especially beneath, petiolate.
- Flowers with pedicel 0.5-1.5 mm long, corolla greenish-white or pinkish-white.
- Fruit obovoid, 3-5 mm long, green turning black.
P. odorata has been much confused with P. pubescens Blume, which is a liana or climbing shrub. P. odorata is common in thickets and secondary forest at low altitudes.
Selected sources
- [327] de Guzman, E.D., Umali, R.M. & Sotalbo, E.D., 1986. Guide to the Philippine flora and fauna. Vol. 3: Dipterocarps, non-dipterocarps. Natural Resources Management Centre, Ministry of Natural Resources, Quezon City & University of the Philippines, Los Baños, the Philippines. 414 pp.
- [332] 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.
- [991] Munir, A.A., 1984. A taxonomic revision of the genus Premna L. (Verbenaceae) in Australia. Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens 7(1): 1-44.
- [1091] Otsuka, H., Kashima, N., Hayashi, T., Kubo, N., Yamasaki, K. & Padolina, W.G., 1992. Premnaodorosides A, B and C, iridoid glucoside diesters of an acyclic monoterpenediol from leaves of Premna odorata. Phytochemistry 31(9): 3129-3133.
- [1092] Otsuka, H., Kubo, N., Yamasaki, K. & Padolina, W.G., 1989. Premnosides A-D: diacyl 6-O-'ALFA'-L-rhamnopyranosylcatalpols from Premna odorata. Phytochemistry 28(11): 3063-3067.
- [1093] Otsuka, H., Kubo, N., Yamasaki, K. & Padolina, W.G., 1989. Two iridoid glycoside caffeoyl esters from Premna odorata. Phytochemistry 28: 513-515.
- [1178] Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
Main genus page
Authors
- L.B. Cardenas