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Paederia foetida L.

Family Name:	Rubiaceae
Synonyms:	Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr., Paederia tomentosa Blume
Common Name:	Lesser Malayan Stinkwort, Akar Sekentut, Daun Kentut-kentut, 鸡矢藤, 鸡屎藤

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Butterfly-Attracting Plant

Butterfly Host Plant

Native to Singapore

Fruit or Vegetable

Coastal Plant

Ornamental Flowers

Climber

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Climber
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Native Distribution	India, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Borneo, and the Philippines
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Secondary Rainforest, Coastal Forest, Grassland / Savannah/ Scrubland, Disturbed Area / Open Ground), Shoreline
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Least Concern (LC))

Growth Form	It is a climber up to 7 m long and has young parts that are without hair to densely covered with hair. Its leaves smell unpleasant when crushed.
Foliage	Its opposite, stalked leaves have blades that are usually egg- or lance-shaped with a pointed tip, 2–21 by 0.7–9 cm, and have 4–5 pairs of fine veins.
Flowers	Its flowers are white with a violet centre, have funnel-shaped corollas that are densely covered with hair. The flowers are arranged in clusters at leaf axils or at the end of flowering branches.

Fruit	Its fruit is slightly round and 4–6 mm wide. Its seed dispersal units (diaspores) are slightly round, 3.5–5.5 by 3–5 mm, black, and without an obvious wing.
Habitat	It grows on beaches and forest margins. It occurs locally in Kranji, in the vicinity of Upper Peirce reservoir and other sites.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed.
Etymology	Greek, paederos means opal, which refers to the opal-like translucency of fruits in some species. Latin foetida, stinking, referring to the unpleasant smell of the leaves.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Edible Plant Parts : Edible Leaves Food (Fruit or Vegetable): The leaves are eaten in China (Hainan, Guangxi, Guangdong regions) grounded and cooked with rice flour, sugar, coconut milk as part of sweet recipes such as dumplings (tang yuan) or in savoury dishes as a stir-fry. Medicinal: The juice of the leaves has medicinal purpose. The leaves are used in traditional home remedies for cough, colds and to lower body "heatiness".

Landscaping	It may be suitable for parks, growing over trellises and pergolas, and vertical greening of buildings.
Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers
Landscape Uses	Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Coastal, Beachfront / Shoreline, Trellis / Arbour / Pergola

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna	Butterfly-Attracting (Flower Nectar), Butterfly Host Plant, Moth Food Plant
Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna)
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Biotic (Fauna)

Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Saline Soils / Salt Spray, Fertile Loamy Soils, Easy to Grow
Maintenance Requirements	Low
Propagation Method	Seed

Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Opposite, Whorled
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Lanceolate, Elliptical)
Foliar Venation	Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin	Entire
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acuminate
Foliar Base	Rounded / Obtuse

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Brown
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Non-Accessory Fruit

Mature Seed Colour(s)	Black
Seed Quantity Per Fruit	Few (1-5)

Images

Master ID	166
Species ID	1462
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: 23 February 2022.