Smilax corbularia (PROSEA)
Introduction |
Smilax corbularia Kunth
- Protologue: Enum. pl. 5: 262 (1850).
Vernacular names
- Cambodia: voë chon (Koh Kong)
- Laos: khua:ng khau (Xieng Khouang)
- Thailand: hua khaao-yen wok, hua khaao-yen nuea (northern)
- Vietnam: dây gạo (Thanh Hoa), dây kim cang (Thanh Hoa, Quang Nam-Da Nang), tầu muối (Ha Tuyên).
Distribution
From Burma (Myanmar) and southern China through Indo-China and Thailand, to Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.
Uses
In Thailand, rhizomes are used for the treatment of gonorrhoea, urinary infections, inflammation, skin diseases and as diuretic. Leaves are used as antipyretic. A decoction of the rhizome is applied to wounds in Cambodia. A decoction of the stems is used to stimulate the appetite in Vietnam, and in Laos the leaves are used to prepare a popular drink.
Observations
- A climber up to 4 m long with smooth stem and branches.
- Leaves elliptical to ovate or broadly ovate, up to 10 cm long, petiole up to 1.5 cm long, wings of petiolar sheaths rather weakly developed, tendrils up to 9 cm long.
- Umbels solitary, sometimes up to 3 together.
- Fruit 6-8 mm in diameter, purple-black at maturity.
Two subspecies are distinguished: subsp. synandra (Gagnepain) T. Koyama (synonym: S. synandra Gagnepain) and subsp. corbularia (synonyms: S. balansaeana H. Bon ex Gagnepain, S. hypoglauca Benth., S. peguana A.DC.). The former differs from the latter in the partly connate perianth and stamens, and tetragonous stems, and it is found in China, Vietnam and north-eastern Thailand. S. corbularia occurs in evergreen and lower montane forest up to 2000 m altitude, in Peninsular Malaysia on exposed rocks in the mountains.
Selected sources
- [779] Koyama, T., 1960. Materials toward a monograph of the genus Smilax. Quarterly Journal of the Taiwan Museum 13: 1-62.
- [780] Koyama, T., 1975. Smilacaceae. In: Smitinand, T. & Larsen, K. (Editors): Flora of Thailand. Vol. 2. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department, Bangkok, Thailand. pp. 211-250.
- [781] Koyama, T., 1978. Smilacaceae. In: Li, H.-L., Liu, T,-S., Huang, T.-C., Koyama, T. & DeVol, C.E. (Editors): Flora of Taiwan. Vol. 5. Epoch Publishing Co., Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. pp. 110-137.
- [1227] Ridley, H.N., 1922-1925. The flora of the Malay Peninsula. 5 volumes. Government of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States. L. Reeve & Co, London, United Kingdom.
Main genus page
- Smilax (Medicinal plants)
Authors
- Stephen P. Teo