Ludwigia octovalvis

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Ludwigia octovalvis

Content

• Description
• Distribution
• Uses
• Notes
• Citation

Description

Usually robust, well-branched herb, sometimes woody at the base, up to 4 m, subglabrous or with sparse or dense appressed or spreading pubescence. Leaves lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, to narrowly ovate, or subovate, 2-14 by 0.5-4 cm, narrowly to broadly cuneate at the base and attenuate at apex; Sepals 4, ovate or lanceolate, 6-15 by 1-7.5 mm. Petals yellow, broadly obovate or cuneate, emarginate, 17 by 2-17 mm. Stamens 8, epipetalous ones shortest; Capsule thin-walled, 1.7-4.5 cm by 2-8 mm, terete, pale brown with 8 darker ribs, readily and irregularly loculicidal; Seeds pluriseriate in each cell, free, brown, rounded, 0.6-0.75 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide including the inflated raphe which is equal in size to the body of the seed and evenly transversely ridged.

Distribution

Throughout the tropics of the world, between c. 32° N and 30° S present

Throughout the tropics of the world, between c. 32° N and 30° S.

Uses

In Java minor medicinal qualities are ascribed to this species, amongst others against sprew. RUMPHIUS, who described it under the name herba vitiiginum (Herb. Amb. 6, p. 49) did not mention uses (). BURKILL () reported that the mucilaginous leaves, after which the plant is called 'lakomayef = ‘water Vitis’ f are used for poulticing in a variety of complaints; it has also been recorded as used for headaches, orchitis, glands in the neck, diarrhoea, dysentery, nervous diseases, and as a vermifuge. In WILKINSON'S Dictionary it is said that a kind of tea is made from the leaves. Also in India medicinal properties are ascribed to it.

Notes

In my revision (1963) I distinguished three subspecies, more or less geographically defined, which I wish to withdraw here.

Citation

BACK. 1930: Onkr. Suiker: 470: Atlas t. 446

EVERIST 1974: Pois. Pl. Austr.: 393

F.v.M. 1876 – In: Descr. Not. Pap. Pl.: 60

BTH. 1867 – In: Fl. Austr.: 307

GAGN. 1921 – In: Fl. Gen. I.-C.: 986

C.T. WHITE 1922 – In: Proc. R. Soc. Queensl.: 48

Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 703

HENRY & PRIT-CHARD 1973: p. 132. – In: Bot. Div. Lae, Bot. Bull.: fig.

STEEN. 1932: Arch. Hydrobiol.: 314

RAVEN 1963: p. 356. – In: Reinwardtia: maps 19-20

VAL. 1907 – In: Bull. Dĕp. Agric. Ind. Nĕerl.: 41

Roxb. 1832 – In: Fl. Ind., ed. Carey: 401

BACK. 1914 – In: Trop. Natuur: 62

BACK. & BAKH.F. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 261

Ridl. 1916 – In: Trans. Linn. Soc. Bot.: 57

Ridl. 1922 – In: Fl.Mal. Pen.: 827

Clarke 1879 – In: Fl. Br. Ind.: 587

Ridl. 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 828