Albertisia papuana

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Albertisia papuana

Description

Large liana. Branchlets at first tomentellous, later glabrescent, rather smooth, drying blackish. Leaves: Inflorescences axillary and on older, leafless stems.

Distribution

Aru Is present, Asia-Tropical: Borneo present (Sabah present, Sarawak present); Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present; Thailand (Thailand present), Banka present, Bum present, N. Sumatra present, S. Celebes present, W. Java present
Thailand (Peninsular); in Malesia: N. Sumatra, Banka, W. Java, Borneo (Sarawak, ?Sabah), S. Celebes, Moluccas (Bum), New Guinea (incl. Aru Is.).

Uses

According to CHIN 2760 the plant is widely cultivated in Barak Distr., Sarawak for the leaves which are used as a flavour-enhancer in cooking; also the fruits are edible.

Notes

Apart from complete material collected in New Guinea, isolated fruiting or sterile specimens from a wide geographical range appear to belong to this species. Fuller material is needed for confirmation.
Two collections from Sabah (KLOSS 19175 & 19179) are possibly A. papuana, but in their hairy stems and leaves resemble A mecistophylla (MIERS) FORMAN from Assam.

Citation

Diels 1910: p. 97. – In: Pfl. R.: f. 13c-d&35
BOERL. 1899 – In: Cat. Hort. Bog.: 44
FORMAN 1975 – In: Kew Bull.: 87