Lepisanthes rubiginosa explained

Lepisanthes rubiginosa, also known as mertajam,^[1] is a plant species from the Lepisanthes genus in the lychee family found in northern India, Indochina, Malesia and northwest Australia.^[2]

Botany

It is a shrub, or small tree, that can grow up to 16 meters tall and has compound leaves with 2-9 pairs of leaflets.^{[2] [3]} Its flowers are yellow-white with a sweet scent and its fruit ripens to a dark purple/black. Its name rubiginosa is Latin for rust-coloured referning to the hairs on the twigs and leaflets.

Use

The leaves can be used as a poultice to treat itches or made into a decoction that can be drank to cure fever.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Book: Toh Suat Loo . 2004 . The Cyber Plant Conservation Project: Promoting Plant Biodiversity Conservation through ICT . Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia . Food and Agriculture Organization and International Plant Genetic Resources Institute . 43 . 92-9043-626-3.
2. Adema . F. . Leenhouts . P.W. . van Welzen . P.C. . Sapindaceae . 1994 . Flora Malesiana . 11 . 3 . 419–768 . Naturalis Institutional Repository.
3. Web site: Lepisanthes rubiginosa (Roxb.) Leenh. . 2023 . Flora & Fauna Web . . 8 May 2023.
4. Burkill . I. H. . Mohamed Haniff . April 1930 . Malay Village Medicine . The Gardens' Bulletin . VI . 6–10 . 165–321 . .