Back

Leea rubra Blume

Family Name:	Vitaceae
Common Name:	Mali-mali Puchok Merah, Red Leea, Mali-Mali, Red Tree-Vine, Red Tree Shrub

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Bee-Attracting Plant

Bird-Attracting Plant

Butterfly-Attracting Plant

Native to Singapore

Suitable for Roadsides

Ornamental Flowers

Ornamental Leaves

Shrub

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

Native Distribution	India, Bangladesh, Indochina, throughout most of S.E.A. (including Singapore), Sabah and New Guinea to northern Australia
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Secondary Rainforest, Monsoon Forest, Grassland / Savannah/ Scrubland, Primary Rainforest)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Presumed Nationally Extinct (NEx))

Growth Form	It is a semi-woody shrub up to 3 m tall.
Foliage	Its alternate, stalked, 2-4 pinnate leaves are 30-60 cm long, with many leaflets.
Flowers	Its flowering shoots are compact and 4-16 cm long. Flowers are bright red in colour with a yellow central disc.

Fruit	It fruits are subglobose berries, turning dark red or purple when ripe, 6-seeded, 7-10 mm wide.
Habitat	It grows in dry monsoon forest, savanna, primary and secondary forests up to 500 m altitude.
Associated Fauna	Its flowers are pollinated by insects and butterflies. The fruits are eaten by birds and other small mammals.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by seed or stem cutting.
Etymology	Latin Leea, a name for tropical small trees or shrubs named for James Lee (1715–1795), who was a nurseryman; Latin rubra, red, referring to the colour of the flowers.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Medicinal: Leaves are used as a poultice to treat wounds. The roots are used for reducing fevers and inducing perspiration and for treating arthritis, rheumatism and stomachaches. It is also mixed with arsenic to treat yaws. Fruits are also consumed to treat dysentery and yaws.

Landscaping	It is suitable for planting along streetscapes, parks and gardens for its attractive bright red flowers.
Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Stems, Ornamental Foliage, Ornamental Fruits
Landscape Uses	General, Flowerbed / Border, Hedge / Screening, Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna	Bird-Attracting (Fruits), Butterfly-Attracting (Flower Nectar), Bee-Attracting
Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Bee), Insects (Butterfly, Moth), Insects (Ant, Beetle, Fly, Thrip, Wasp))
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Biotic (Fauna)

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils

Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green, Red
Prominent Young Flush Colour(s)	Red
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Alternate

Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio

4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot)

Flower Location	Terminal
Flower Symmetry	Radial

Fruit Type	Fleshy Fruit , Non-Accessory Fruit
Seed Quantity Per Fruit	Moderate (6-10)

References	PlantUse English contributors, "Leea rubra (PROSEA)," PlantUse English. https://uses.plantnet-project.org/e/index.php?title=Leea_rubra_(PROSEA)&oldid=215889. Accessed 12 Oct. 2022.

Images

Master ID	898
Species ID	2192
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.