Cyclea barbata
Content
Description
Slender climber, up to c. 5 m.
Leaves with hispid petioles 3-6.5 cm, inserted 6-25 mm above the basal margin;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Assam (Assam present); Thailand (Thailand present), Burma present, Cochinchina present, Krakatoa Is present, NW Sumatra present, P. Sebesi present, Simalur I present, W.-E. Java present
Assam, Burma, Thailand, Cochinchina; in Malesia: NW Sumatra (Simalur I.), P. Sebesi and Krakatoa Is. in Sunda Strait, W.-E. Java.
Uses
The leaves are commonly used in Java to prepare a refreshment in the form of a jelly called 'tjintjau'. This is usually eaten together with a sweet syrup. The leaves are crushed in water and the mix-ture left to set. The jelly is also regarded as a stom-ach-medicine. According to HEYNE, the roots attain considerable size and when dried are used medicinal-ly: a brew prepared from them is used as a prophylac-tic against fever. The very bitter taste is due to the al-kaloid 'cycleine'. The starch content of the roots is high, and there is about 10% fat content.
Notes
Three collections by KOORDERS differ in some respects from the rest of the material. These are KOORDERS 27853, 34037 (both from Central Java) and 38535 (E. Java). DIELS annotated the Bogor spe-cimens of these numbers as 'Cyclea korthalsii DIELS', a name later published as a nomen nudum by NOR-MAN (l.c), where it was applied to FORBES 2622a from Sumatra, which belongs to C. laxiflora MIERS. In the index to collectors' numbers in DIELS' mono- graph these three KOORDERS numbers are all referred to 'Cycled tomentosa', a name which I have not been able to find elsewhere. However, DIELS cited the same numbers under his general treatment of C. barbata.
In these specimens the lamina is smaller and narrower (5-8 cm long, 2.5-5 cm broad) than typical C. barbata and the petiole is inserted only 1-2 mm from the basal margin of the lamina. The stems differ in being puberulous and not hispid. The numbers 34037 -and 38535 are in fruit. Number 27853 bears young male buds and very few open flowers, of which two were dissected and were both found to have one petal completely free from the rest of the gamopetalous corolla. I am uncertain of the taxonomic value of the above differences. These collections may be provisionally regarded as representing aberrant forms of C. barbata DIELS placed C. barbata in his key under 'Synandrium inclusum ', although the synandrium is usually exserted. Cyclea wallichii, which DIELS originally described and placed under 'Synandrium exsertum’ in his key cannot be distinguished from it and is accordingly reduced.
In these specimens the lamina is smaller and narrower (5-8 cm long, 2.5-5 cm broad) than typical C. barbata and the petiole is inserted only 1-2 mm from the basal margin of the lamina. The stems differ in being puberulous and not hispid. The numbers 34037 -and 38535 are in fruit. Number 27853 bears young male buds and very few open flowers, of which two were dissected and were both found to have one petal completely free from the rest of the gamopetalous corolla. I am uncertain of the taxonomic value of the above differences. These collections may be provisionally regarded as representing aberrant forms of C. barbata DIELS placed C. barbata in his key under 'Synandrium inclusum ', although the synandrium is usually exserted. Cyclea wallichii, which DIELS originally described and placed under 'Synandrium exsertum’ in his key cannot be distinguished from it and is accordingly reduced.
Citation
HEYNE 1927: Nutt. Pl. p 618
BACK. 1911: Schoolfl. p 47
CRAIB 1925 – In: Fl. Siam. En. p 71
CRAIB 1925 – In: Fl. Siam. En. p 70
SCHEFF. 1873: p. 393. – In: Nat. Tijd. N. I. t. 15
BOERL. 1899 – In: Cat. Hort. Bog. p 43
GAGNEP. 1938 – In: Suppl. Fl. Gén. I.-C. p 139
Koord. 1912: Exk. Fl. Java. p 237
[non (LAMK) HOOK.f. & TH.]: MIQ. 1908: Voorl. Schoolfl. p 9
BURK. 1935 – In: Dict. p 721
FORMAN 1960 – In: Kew Bull. p 77
BACK. & BAKH.f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java. p 161
Diels 1910 – In: Pfl. R. p 314
BOORSMA 1900 – In: Teysmannia. p 515
MIERS 1871 – In: Contr. Bot. p 237
YAMAMOTO 1944 – In: J. Soc. Trop. Agric. p 144
BACK. 1907 – In: Fl. Bat. p 40