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Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels
| Family Name: | Rutaceae |
| Common Name: | Fool's Curry Leaf, Wampee, Huang Pi, Wampi, Uampi, Hong Bi, Som-ma-fai |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Rounded |
| Maximum Height | 6 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | India, Southern China, Thailand and Vietnam |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Trunk | Gray-brown bark, rough |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Spirally arranged; leaves 4-12 inches long, pinnate; leaflets 7-15 alternate, elliptic or elliptic-ovate, 2 3/4 to 4 inches long, oblique at the base, wavy-margined, shallowly toothed; petiole warty and hairy. |
| Flowers | Sweet scent; 4-5 parts, whitish or yellowish-green, 1/2 inch wide, slender, hairy panicles, 4-20 inches long. |
| Fruit | Ovoid or subglobose; thin but tough rind light brownish-yellow, minutely hairy; easily peeled; flesh faintly divided into 5 segments, yellowish-white or colourless, juicy, pleasantly sweet, subacid or sour. Seeds 1-5 oblong, thick, 1/2 - 5/8 inches long, bright-green with one brown tip. |
| Others - Plant Morphology | Attractive, grows up to 6 m tall, evergreen. Branches long, upward-slanting, flexible. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Fruits Food (Fruit or Vegetable): Fully ripe fruit is edible. Seeded pulp is added into fruit cups and desserts, or can be made into jam or pie. Seeded fruits are served with meat dishes in China. Juice strained from fermented fruit with sugar is made as a bottled carbonated beverage in Southeast Asia. Medicinal: The fruit was known to have stomachic and cooling effects. Sun-dried immature fruits are remedies used in Vietnam and China for bronchitis. Thin slices of dried roots are used in oriental pharmacies for bronchitis as well. Others: Leaf decoction is said to be effective to remove dandruff and preserve hair colour. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Form, Fragrant (Flowers) |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting (Fruits) |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Stem Cutting (Softwood), Air-Layering |
| Propagation Ease | Easy |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Green |
| Young Flush Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Type | Compound |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate, Elliptical) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire - Wavy / Undulate |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute |
| Foliar Base | Oblique / Asymmetrical |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Bark Colour(s) | gray-brown |
|---|---|
| Stem Type & Modification | Woody |
| Root Type | Underground |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Flower Location | Terminal |
| Flower Colour(s) Remarks | yellowish-green |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Brown |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Hairy / Hirsute |
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | |
| Mature Seed Colour(s) | Green - Light Green |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 32423 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 6835 |
| 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. |
