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Agelaea macrophylla

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Agelaea macrophylla (Zoll.) Leenh.

Family Name: Connaraceae
Common Name: Akar Pinang Ketul, Akar Pinang Kutai

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Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants)
Plant Growth Form Climber, Vine & Liana

Biogeography

Native Distribution Java, Sumatra, Bali, Lingga Archipelago, Peninsular Malaysia, and Borneo
Native Habitat Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone Tropical
Local Conservation Status Native to Singapore (Vulnerable (VU))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form It is a climber.
Foliage Its alternate, stalked leaves are trifoliate. The leathery leaf blades are longitudinally ridged, may or may not be covered with hair, have mucus cells above which are seen as pits when dry, and have veins that are rarely minutely covered with hair below. The terminal leaftlet blade is narrowly elliptic to elliptic, sometimes slightly oblique, with a pointed tip, 11–30 by 3.7–9.4 cm, and have 7–13 lateral veins. The lateral leaflet blades are elliptic, with a pointed tip, 8.5–30 by 3–9.5 cm, and have 7–8 pairs of lateral veins.
Flowers Its flower clusters occur at the leaf axils, are often subtended by a rudimentary leaf, have 1–4 flower branches, each 2–3 cm long, and each with 7–13 flowers that are covered with hair and have an unpleasant scent.
Fruit Its fruit is drop-shaped, 0.9–1.9 by 0.7–0.88 cm, with a smooth to wrinkled fruit wall, sometimes with warts, and covered with hair. Its seeds are drop-shaped to cylindrical and two-thirds to three-quarters covered with the sacrotesta.
Habitat It grows in primary, secondary and swamp forests, often near streams, and on limestone vegetation, up to 750 m altitude.
Associated Fauna Observed to be a host plant of Nacaduba sanaya elioti (Jewel Four-Line Blue); Drupadia ravindra moorei (Common Posy).
Etymology Greek agelaios, forming a flock in herds, referring to the many-flowered inflorescences, Latin macrophylla, big-leaved, referring to the plant’s large leaves.
Ethnobotanical Uses Others: It is used for making durable ropes to make rafts or bow-nets

Landscaping Features

Landscape Uses Parks & Gardens

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna Caterpillar Food Plant

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference Full Sun
Water Preference Moderate Water

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s) Green

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID 33564
Species ID 7978
Flora Disclaimer The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.
Species record last updated on: 10 August 2022.
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