Volume 10 > Part 2 > Year 2010 > Page 246 > Passifloraceae > Adenia

4. Adenia heterophylla (Blume) Koord.wfo-0000519991

Exkurs. Fl. Java 2: 637. 1912; Backer & Bakh. f., Fl. Java 1: 289. 1964; W.J.de Wilde, Meded. Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen 71, 18: 212, f. 345. 1971.— Modecca heterophylla Blume, Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind. 15: 940. 1826.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Climber to 30 m long, largely glabrous; half-supraterraneous tuber sometimes obvious; branches 1.5–6 mm thick, pale greenish when dry; internodes 2–20 cm. Stipules triangular, or rounded or reniform, sometimes lacerate, ca 0.5 mm long. Leaves: petiole 1–10 cm long; blade entire to 5-partite, orbicular to ovate, to lanceolate, 5–25 by 2.5–19 cm, base acute to cordate, apex rounded to, acute, to 2(–3) cm acuminate, 3–5(–7) pli- to penninerved, venation reticulate, distinct or not; lobes triangular to lanceolate, up to 15 cm long; glands at blade base 2, in two concave auricles lateral at the apex of the petiole, auricles somewhat adnate with the blade, mutually free or more or less connate over the apex of the petiole. Inflorescences axillary to normal leaves, rarely to reduced leaves in short shoots, pedunculate for 2–20 cm, up to 40-flowered in male, 1–4(–8)-flowered in female, sometimes monoecious with male and female flowers mixed; tendrils 1(–3). Sterile tendrils simple, rarely 3-branched, to 25 cm long. Bracts and bracteoles minute. Male flowers: pedicel 1–13 mm long; flower tubular or urceolate, including the 3–15 mm long stipe (10–)15–25(–30) by 1.5–5 (–7.5) mm; calyx tube (including hypanthium) 5–12(–14) mm long, lobes (sepals) narrowly triangular, acute or blunt, 1–3 mm long, reflexed; petals inserted 1–2.5 mm below the throat of the calyx tube, reflexed, narrowly triangular to lanceolate, acute, 2–4 by 0.5–2.5 mm, 1–3-nerved, subentire, decurrent; filaments 1–4 mm long, 0.5–3 mm connate, inserted at the base of the hypanthium or on an androgynophore up to 4 mm long, anthers 3–5 by 0.8 mm, somewhat acute or to 0.5 mm apiculate; septa 1–3 mm high; corona absent; disc glands 1–3 mm long. Female flowers: pedicel 1–10 mm long; flower tubular, including the 1–6(–10) mm long stipe 7–18 (–22) by 3–5(–6) mm; gynophore 1.5–3.5 mm long; ovary subglobose to oblong, 3–5 by 2–3 mm, 3(–5) carpellate; styles 3(–5), free or to 0.5 mm connate, style-arms 0.5–1 mm long; stigmas subglobose, papillate, each ca 1.5 mm. diam. Fruits 1–3(4) per infructescence, ellipsoid to oblong-lanceolate, excluding the (0.4–)1–3(–4) cm long gynophore 2–13 by 1.5–4.5 cm, base and apex obtuse or acute, sometimes faintly 3-ribbed; pericarp coriaceous, 1–3 mm thick. Seeds numerous, orbicular to obliquely triangular in outline, (4–)5–10 by 4.5–10 by 2.5—3.5 mm; testa rather smooth or muricate.

Distribution : Widely distributed with 4 subspecies from the Andaman Islands, Indochina and S China through Malesia to N Australia, eastwards to the Solomon Islands; not in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and most of Borneo. Two subspecies in Thailand.

Ecology : In a variety of habitats, preferring a seasonal climate, in forests and scrub. The species does not occur in the everwet regions of Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo, but is commonly distributed in West Java and New Guinea. Flowers and fruits are found throughout the whole year, but apparently most frequently in the rainy season. The species is, as usual in Adenia, mostly dioecious, but not rarely monoecious specimens with male and female flowers mixed in one inflorescence occur. The tubular, narrow-throated flowers suggest pollination by insects.

Uses: The fruits and the plant as a whole are reported as poisonous, and used as a poison for hunting, but the juicy aril is sometimes mentioned as sweet and edible.