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Vallaris solanacea (Roth) Kuntze
| Family Name: | Apocynaceae |
| Synonyms: | Vallaris heynei Spreng. |
| Common Name: | Bread Flower, 纽子花 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Climber |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Hainan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and southern Vietnam. |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a trailing or climbing shrub where branches have lenticels. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are elliptic (2 – 15 cm long and 0.8 – 6 cm wide), oppositely arranged with long slender glands in the axils of leaves. Petiole is 0.3 - 2 cm long, apex is acuminate or apiculate and base is cuneate. |
| Flowers | Inflorescence (2.5 – 10.2 cm long) occurs at the axillary. Flowers are cream or pale green coloured, tubular (0.6 – 1 cm long and 0.2 – 0.4 cm wide) and sweet smelling. Stamens are inserted at the center of the flower and filament is 0.12 – 0.26 mm long. Ovary is hairy and about 0.08 – 0.1 cm long. |
| Fruit | Fruit is a follicle (8 - 14 cm long and 1.5 - 3.5 cm wide) which sometimes only formed from one carpel. Seed is elliptical (0.10 cm long and 0.35 - 0.5 cm wide) with a tuft of hairs at one end (3 - 4 cm long) for wind dispersal. |
| Habitat | It is found in scrubland or forest up to 320 m altitude. |
| Similar | Vallaris solanacea is similar to Vallaris glabra. V. glabra leaves are 1.6 - 2.1 times as long as wide with apiculate leaf apex and sepals are mostly spreading or reflexed while V. solanacea leaves are 2 – 4.2 times as long as wide with mostly acuminate leaf apex and sepals are mostly erect. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Others: Roots are used as medicine in Thailand and branches are used for making baskets in India. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers, Fragrant (Flowers) |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens, Trellis / Arbour / Pergola |
| Thematic Landscaping | Fragrant / Aromatherapy Garden |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic |
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Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils |
| Propagation Method | Stem Cutting |
Foliar
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
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Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White, White |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
References
| References | Middleton, D.J. 1999. Apocynaceae. Bangkok, Thailand: The Forest Herbarium. Royal Forest Department. Vol 7 (2): 1-153 |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 32550 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 6962 |
| 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. |
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