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Afgekia sericea Craib
| Family Name: | Fabaceae (Leguminosae) |
| Common Name: | Silky Afgekia, Kan Phai, Thua Paep Chaang |
The Afgekia sericea is an evergreen, perennial climber with long and softly hairy, odd-pinnate compound leaves. The inflorescence contains many pink and white pea-like flowers that open in succession from the bottom upwards. It grows best on supports like trellises and railings.
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Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Climber |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Shrubby |
| Maximum Height | 5 m to 10 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Thailand |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial (Monsoon Forest) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal, Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Evergreen leguminous vine with bushy growth and slender woody stems at base, able to reach 10m with support. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves odd-pinnately compound, with 7-9 pairs of oblong to lanceolate leaflets arranged oppositely. Leaflets are 6.5cm by 2.5 cm, soft, green on top and pale green below, pubescent on both surfaces (more dense on the lower surface) and along margins. Young leaflets densely furry, appearing silver-white before unfolding, produced on tomentose twining stems. |
| Stems | Woody stems. Young stems are densely covered with white or silvery pubescent hairs. |
| Flowers | Papilionoid (pea-like), with 5 furry-pubescent pink-white petals -- 1 light pink and white upper-petal ("standard") with pink-yellow nectar guide, 2 dark to purplish-pink lateral-petals ("wings") that form a cap over 2 white lower-petals ("keel"), which in turn enclose the reproductive parts within a boat-like structure. Inflorescences raceme, long and many floreted, upper portion pink, typically produced near top of plant. Florets open gradually from base to tip of inforescence over some 2 months. Each floret opens and becomes receptive from 4am, but lasts only for 24 hours. Flowering occurs from mid-May to end October during rainy season in native range, but plant blooms almost year-round outside of natural habitat, as observed in urban Bangkok and Singapore. Florets pollinated by bees, chiefly Megachile velutina (Leafcutter Bee), which visit the plant for nectar, pollen and leaves (used as nesting material). Species is thought to be cross-pollinating and self-incompatible. |
| Fruit | Pubescent seedpods, produced in clustered infructescences, ripening from green to brown with beige hairs. Species rarely sets fruits (< 0.2% at native sites). Fruiting not observed in Singapore. |
| Habitat | Climbing on trees at or near edges of dry dipterocarp forests at low and medium altitudes, and is confined to the Korat Plateau of N.E. Thailand. <1> |
| Similar | Resembles the closely-allied species Afgekia mahidoliae (Kan Phai Mahidol), whose natural range of limestone deciduous forests in western Thailand lies 320km away and across the breath of the Chao Phraya River. Differentiated by its inflorescences of purple-white florets, as well as its larger broad-oval leaflets (7..5cm by 4.3 cm) that are pale green and less hirsute below. |
| Associated Fauna | Majority are leaf-cutter bees (Megachile spp.), mining bees (Nomia and Anthophora), and carpenter bees (Xylocopa aestuans and Xylocopa dissimilis). |
| Cultivation | Fuss-free plant. Provide regular moisture. Can be trained as a potted plant by twining the stems around stakes. Propagate by seeds (if available). Cuttings reported to be difficult to strike. |
| Etymology | Genus epithet Afgekia derived from the name initials of Irish medical doctor and plant-collector Arthur Francis George Kerr (1877-1942), who worked from 1925-1931 as a distinguished taxonomist for the Flora of Thailand Project. Species epithet sericea means "silky", a reference to the pubescent nature of the plant. Vernacular name "Kan Phai" means "protecting from threat" in Thai, and is represented as a captivating benevolent vine in Thai religious sacraments. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Food (Herb or Spice) Others: Roots used to treat chicken pox and throat problems like follicular pharyngitis. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | Trained as climbers on trellises and railings for their ornamental flowers and foliage. |
|---|---|
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage, Ornamental Flowers |
| Landscape Uses | Vertical Greenery / Green Wall, Container Planting, Trellis / Arbour / Pergola |
| Thematic Landscaping | Silver Garden, Naturalistic Garden |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bee-Attracting, Butterfly-Attracting (Flower Nectar, Flower Pollen) |
|---|---|
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee)) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils |
| Maintenance Requirements | Moderate |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Stem Cutting |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green, Silver / Grey |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Velvety / Furry / Tomentose, Hairy / Hirsute, Raised / Sunken Veins |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Silver / Grey, Green |
| Young Flush Texture(s) | Hairy / Hirsute, Velvety / Furry / Tomentose |
| Foliar Modification | Foliar Tendril |
| Foliar Type | Compound (Odd-Pinnate) |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Oblong, Lanceolate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Cuspidate |
| Foliar Base | Rounded / Obtuse |
| Typical Foliar Area | Notophyll ( 20.25cm2 - 45 cm2 ) |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) Remarks | Silver-white |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Mature Bark Texture | Lenticellate |
|---|---|
| Stem Type & Modification | Woody |
| Root Type | Underground (Fibrous Root) |
| Mature Bark Texture Remarks | Lenticels and bark are observed in old stems. |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Pink, White, Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Velvety / Furry / Tomentose |
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Axillary, Terminal |
| Flower Symmetry | Bilateral |
| Individual Flower Shape | Papilionaceous / Pea-shaped |
| Inflorescence Type | Raceme |
| Flowering Period | Free-Flowering |
| Flowering Opening Time | Daytime |
| Flower Lifespan on Plant | 1 Day |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Hairy / Hirsute |
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | <1> Chourykaew, B., Khunwasi, C., Boonkerd, T., Seelanan, T. (2002). Floral visitors and fruit set in Afgekia sericea Craib (Fabaceae). The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University 4(2): 31-44. Accessed on 26 June 2024 from https://www.thaiscience.info/journals/Article/NHCU/10439730.pdf <3> Sirichamorn, Y. (2006). Morphometrics and molecular systematics of the genus Afgekia Craib (Fabaceae) (Publication No. T249001) [Master's Thesis, Chulalongkorn University]. Accessed on 26 June 2024 from https://www.nstda.or.th/brt/images/book/T249001.pdf |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 5 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 1301 |
| 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. |
