Smilax myosotiflora (PROSEA)

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Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Smilax myosotiflora A.DC.

Protologue: Monogr. phan. 1: 65 (1878).

Vernacular names

• Malaysia: akar ali, akar tanding, akar dedingin (Peninsular).

Distribution

Peninsular Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.

Uses

Rhizomes are used in Malaysia as an aphrodisiac and leaves and fruits to cure syphilis.

Observations

• A herbaceous climber with slender smooth stem and branches.
• Leaves broadly elliptical to lanceolate-elliptical, up to 15 cm long, petiole up to 2.5 cm long, wings of petiolar sheaths weakly developed, tendrils up to 13 cm long.
• Umbels solitary.
• Fruit 7-9 mm in diameter.

S. myosotiflora occurs in evergreen forest, often climbing on bushes and low trees, up to 1400 m altitude.

Selected sources

• [202] Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol. 1 (A-H) pp. 1-1240. Vol. 2 (I-Z) pp. 1241-2444.
• [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.
• [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