| Snake vine | |
|---|---|
| |
| Snake vine at Palm Beach, Australia | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Menispermaceae |
| Genus: | Stephania |
| Species: | S. japonica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Stephania japonica | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Stephania japonica, known as snake vine,[2] is a vine often seen in sheltered areas near the sea.
Description[edit]
A dioecious vine without prickles. Greenish small flowers form on compound umbels, growing from the leaf axils in the warmer months. Inflorescences are 4 to 8 cm long. The fruit is an oval shaped, orange or red drupe, 2 to 5 mm long. A feature of this plant is the peltate leaves, (the stem is attached to the leaf, away from the leaf edge).
Distribution[edit]
A widespread vine seen as far south as Eden, New South Wales, north through Queensland. Also seen in Japan, India, Nepal, and many other areas of south-east Asia and the Pacific region. The original specimen was collected in Japan, hence the specific epithet “japonica”.[3] The variety in New South Wales is known as bicolor, as the under-side of the leaf is somewhat paler than above.
Chemistry[edit]
Protostephanine is an alkaloid collected from Stephania japonica (Menispermaceae). Antihypertensive agent.
Consumption[edit]
The leaves of this plant are commonly used to produce edible green grass jelly in Indonesia.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ Walp. 1842. Repert. Bot. Syst. (Walpers) 1: 96 .
- ^ English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. 2015. p. 647. ISBN 978-89-97450-98-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017 – via Korea Forest Service.
- ^ Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN 978-0-7318-1211-0 page 336
- ^ http://digilib.unila.ac.id/5662/9/Bab%202%20.pdf Detection of Coliform Bacteria in Traditional Snacks Black Cincau at Traditional Market and Supermarket in Bandar Lampung City