Stemona javanica
Content
Description
Glabrous, or slighdy asperulous (Halmahera), twiner, up to 5 m.
Leaves alternate;
Inflorescence sessile or subsessile, (1- or) few-many-flowered, bracts parchment-like 1.5-3 mm long, imbricately arranged and finally forming a pseudo-peduncle up to 1.5 cm long.
Flowers:
Stamens purple or dark brown, c. 8 mm long;
Fruit 15-35 by c. 10 mm, beak c. 4 mm, 3-7-seeded.
Seeds elongate, rounded at the apex, 5-16 by 2-4 mm, funicle c. 6 mm long, with an aril consisting of many translucent, hollow, finger-like appendages, reaching to the base of the seed.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Halmahera present, Mangoli present, N Papua New Guinea present, NE Irian Jaya present, S coast of Java present, S coast of New Britain present, Sanana present, Sula Islands present, W New Ireland present
Malesia: S coast of Java, Halmahera, Sula Islands (Mangoli, Sanana), NE Irian Jaya, N Papua New Guinea, S coast of New Britain, and W New Ireland.
Notes
The flowers have an unpleasant smell.
In Halmahera, Weda District, extract from the stem is given as a drink after childbirth for purification. In Sula Sanana (Moluccas) the tubers are used as fish-poison (Bloembergen 4372).
Specimens cultivated in the botanical garden at Bogor (origin not indicated) have whitish tuberous roots.
Some specimens from Halmahera have slighdy asperulous stems and petioles.
In Halmahera, Weda District, extract from the stem is given as a drink after childbirth for purification. In Sula Sanana (Moluccas) the tubers are used as fish-poison (Bloembergen 4372).
Specimens cultivated in the botanical garden at Bogor (origin not indicated) have whitish tuberous roots.
Some specimens from Halmahera have slighdy asperulous stems and petioles.