Volume 5 > Part 3 > Year 1991 > Page 343 > Menispermaceae > Fibraurea

Fibraurea tinctoria Lour.wfo-0000687146

Fl. Cochinch.: 626. 1790; Hook.f. in Fl. Br. Ind. 1: 98. 1872; Kurz, Fl. Burma 1: 53. 1877; Gagnep. in Fl. Gén. I.-C. l: 135. 1908; Forman, Kew Bull. 40: 549. 1985; in Fl. Males. I. 10: 207, f. 9a–h. 1986; Kew Bull. 43: 394. 1988. Fig. 77: A–H.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Large woody climber, up to ca 40 m, stem containing white latex. Leaves elliptic, elliptic-ovate to ovate or oblong-elliptic, (9–)11–21(–28) by (3.5–)5–14 cm, base sometimes subpeltate, usually rounded, apex acuminate, often shortly so, upper surface often drying greyish and smooth with reticulation obscure; thinly coriaceous; petiole (2–)4–13 cm, often drying blackish at least at the swollen base. Inflorescences axillary or ramiflorous, ca 10–38 cm, with lateral branches, up to 12 cm. Male flowers sweetly scented, on pedicels, up to 5 mm or sessile; main sepals white or yellow, broadly elliptic, concave, 2.5–4 mm long; stamens 6, 2–2.5 mm long; filament thickly columnar, incurved. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male; staminodes subulate, 2 mm; carpels ellipsoidal, 1.75 mm long; stigma cleft-like, small. Infructescences often ramiflorous, up to ca 55 cm. Drupes yellow to orange on pedicels, 6–15 mm; endocarp 2–2.5 cm long, wall ca 1 mm thick, hard and rigid.

Thailand : PENINSULAR: throughout.

Distribution : NE India (Manipur, Nicobar Islands), Burma to Indochina (type), Malay Peninsula, Sumatra to Celebes and the Philippines.

Ecology : Locally common in dry evergreen forests, also in bamboo forests and scrub, up to ca 100 m alt. Flowering: February–May; fruiting: April–May.

Vernacular : Khamin ruesi (ขมิ้นฤาษี), khamin khruea (ขมิ้นเครือ), man miat (มันเมียด)(Peninsular); thaowan thong (เถาวัลย์ทอง)(Southwestern); kamphaeng chet chan (กำแพงเจ็ดชั้น)(Central).

Uses: The stems are used medicinally in Malaya and Vietnam. BURKILL (l.c. 1935) recorded various uses against dysentery, diabetes and headache.