Stephania japonica
Content
Description
Slender climber, 2-10 m.
Leaves with glabrous or crispately pu-berulous petioles 3-12 cm;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: India present; Thailand (Thailand present), Japan present, N. & E. Australia present, Polynesia present, S. China present
Japan, S. China, Indochina, Thailand, India, throughout Malesia, N. & E. Australia, Polynesia.
Uses
In var. discolor the tuberous root is bitter and very poisonous due to its picrotoxin content. It is used medicinally for fever, diarrhoea, urinary dis-eases and stomach-ache. Crushed leaves in water form a slightly gelatinous mass which is applied to breast infections. Although reported to be poisonous to livestock in Australia (), feeding tests have proved negative ().
Notes
The very extensive synonymy of this spe-cies is the result of combining the synonyms quoted by DIELS for three species, which he recognized as distinct, viz. S. jorsteri (DC.) A. GRAY, S. hernandii-folia (WILLD.) WALP. and S. japonica (THUNB.) MIERS. The only differences between these taxa con-cern the presence or absence of a puberulous indu-mentum on the lower surfaces of the leaves and on the inflorescences, as indicated in the key below. The degree of hairiness varies considerably but the great majority of the specimens I have examined can be placed in one of these three taxa, which occupy dif-ferent but overlapping geographical areas. I there-fore consider 5. forsteri, S. hernandiifolia and S. ja-ponica to be no more than varieties of one wide-spread species.
For a detailed discussion on the types see FORMAN (1956).
The endocarp of S. japonica was described by DIELS as imperforate. It is, however, usually per-forate in all three varieties of this species.
For a detailed discussion on the types see FORMAN (1956).
The endocarp of S. japonica was described by DIELS as imperforate. It is, however, usually per-forate in all three varieties of this species.
Citation
MIERS 1871 – In: Contr. Bot.: 213
SCHEFF. 1873 – In: Nat. Tijd. N. I.: 401
K. SCH. 1898 – In: Notizbl. Berl.-Dahl.: 116
Diels 1910 – In: Pfl. R.: 277
GUILLEMLN 1837 – In: Ann. Sci. Nat.: 370
MIERS 1871 – In: Contr. Bot.: 224
YAMAMOTO 1948 – In: Taiwania: 46
Merr. 1921: En. Born.: 250
HEYNE 1927 – In: Nutt. Pl.: 617
Miq. 1868 – In: Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat.: 85
WARB. 1891 – In: Bot. Jahrb.: 314
KURZ 1874 – In: J. As. Soc. Beng.: 61
BACK. 1907 – In: Fl. Bat.: 39
Merr. 1921: En. Born.: 250
SPAN. 1841 – In: Linnaea: 164
GAGNEP. 1938 – In: Suppl. Fl. Gén. I.-C.: 134
WILLD. 1806 – In: Sp. Pl.: 827
Ridl. 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 113
YAMAMOTO 1944 – In: J. Soc. Trop. Agric.: 140
Miq. 1858 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 83
KURZ 1864 – In: Nat. Tijd. N. I.: 177
BURK. & HEND. 1925 – In: Gard. Bull. S. S.: 344
BACK. 1911: Schoolfl. Java: 46
BECC. 1877 – In: Malesia: 154
WILLD. 1824 – In: Prod.: 100
Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 335
BACK. 1930 – In: Onkr. Suiker.: 247
Roxb. 1832 – In: Fl. Ind. ed. Carey: 842
HOOK.f. & TH. 1872 – In: Fl. Br. India: 103
BAILEY 1899 – In: Queensl. Fl.: 33
MIERS 1871 – In: Contr. Bot.: 214
GAGNEP. 1908 – In: Fl. Gén. I.-C.: 147
FORMAN 1956 – In: Kew Bull.: 49
Diels 1910 – In: Pfl. R.: 279
K. SCH. & LAUT. 1901: Fl. Deut. Schutzgeb. Siidsee: 311
MASAM. 1942: En. Phan. Born.: 276
Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 336
BRANDIS 1906: Indian Trees: 23
Merr. 1938 – In: J. Arn. Arb.: 340
Benth. 1863 – In: Fl. Austr.: 57
DC. 1817 – In: Syst.: 533
YAMAMOTO 1944 – In: J. Soc. Trop. Agric.: 138
DC. 1824 – In: Prod.: 96
HASSK. 1848: Pl. Jav. Rar.: 168
MIERS 1911 – In: Elmer, Leafl. Philip. Bot. 4: 1166
Diels 1910 – In: Pfl. R.: 278
BOERL. 1899 – In: Cat. Hort. Bog.: 42
MIERS 1871 – In: Contr. Bot.: 226
King 1889 – In: J. As. Soc. Beng.: 385
DC. 1824 – In: Prod.: 96
A. GRAY 1910 – In: Nova Guinea: 283
JUEL 1918: Pl. Thunb.: 245
WALP. 1936: Atlas: t. 258
CRAIB 1925 – In: Fl. Siam. En.: 69
Ridl. 1923 – In: J. Str. Br. R. As. Soc.: 52
HOOK.f. &TH. 1855 – In: Fl. Ind.: 196
SPRENG. 1908: Voorl. Schoolfl.: 9
MASAM. 1942: En. Phan. Born.: 276
BURK. 1935 – In: Dict.: 2076
MIERS 1871 – In: Contr. Bot.: 222
BACK. 1911: Schoolfl. Java: 46
W.H. BROWN 1921 – In: Minor Prod. Philip. For.: 186
WALP. 1948 – In: Taiwania: 48
Ridl. 1893 – In: Trans. Linn. Soc.: 274
MIERS 1871 – In: Contr. Bot.: 228
LAMK 1797 – In: Encycl. Méth.: 96