Caricature Plant

Overview

The plant is believed to be native of Papua New Guinea and neighboring islands. It is widely distributed throughout the tropics, where it has been grown as an ornamental plant in gardens for decades. It has a range of traditional medicinal uses and is also used as a soap substitute.

Vernacular Names

Daun prada (Malaysia), Bai tawng (Thailand), Kalpueng (Philippines), Man hua hua (Chinese), Kaala-aduusa (India), Guacamari (Cuba).

Agroecology

Caricature plant is commonly grown as an ornamental and hedge plant in the tropics, and also as a pot plant in colder areas. It prefers a position in full sun to maderate shade, but also succeeds in almost full shade. Grows best in moist but weel-drained soils that are rich in organic matter. The best foliage colour occurs when the plant is grown in sunny position.

Morphology

• Roots - tap, light brown.
• Stem - erect, smooth, branched with a greenish purple color.
• Leaves - opposite, oblong to broadly elliptic, 10-20 cm long, purplish or green splotched with light yellow or orange, narrow and with entire margin.
• Flowers - in cymes forming a terminal panicle, measure 3-12 cm long. The bracts are small with five-toothed calyx. The corolla is funnel-shaped, 2-lipped and crimson purple color.
• Fruits - 2-3 cm long and slender.

Cultivation

• Vegetative (by cuttings) and generative propagation (by seeds).
• Take cuttings about 15 cm long, root in water or a mixture of peat with sand. it is best to cover the stalk with polyethylene. Rooting lasts 4-6 weeks.

Chemical Constituents

• Flavonoids (4,5,7-trihidroksi flavonol,4,4-dihidroksi flavon 3,4,7-trihidroksi flavon-trihidroksi flavon dan luteolin 7-glukoside). alkoloid non toxic, saponins, tannins galat, antoxyanin and fenolic acids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Considered diuretic, emollient, resolvent.
• It has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-diabetic, oxytocic, and nephroprotective properties.
• .The leaves are infused as remedy for constipation. They are used externally, often as a poultice, in the treatment of various conditions including cuts, ulcers, scorpion stings and swellings.
• A poultice of the leaves is applied to the breasts to relieve inflammatory obstruction to the flow of milk.
• The leaves are pounded in hot water and applied as paste for relieving headaches. The mottled-leafed variety is pounded with coconut milk and then used to reduce swellings.
• The juice of the plant is squeezed into the ear as a remedy for earaches. It is applied to the skin as a treatment for certain skin complaints.
• A decoction of the flowers is taken to promote mestruation.