Cyclocodon lancifolius subsp. celebicus (Blume) K.E.Morris & Lammers

 Cyclocodon lancifolius subsp. celebicus (Blume) K.E.Morris & Lammers, Novon 9(3): 387 (1999).

Cyclocodon lancifolius subsp. celebicus (Blume) K.E.Morris & Lammers; Photo Ngô Đình Đại

Vietnamese name: 

Cây Gai rừng, Đẳng sâm, Ngân đằng. 

Indonesia name: 

gordang-gordang (Sumatra), emlapagar (Sulawesi)

Philippines name: 

lakoronbolan (Bukidnon)

Thailand name: 

mayom-kaeo (northern)

English name: 

Latin Name: 

Cyclocodon lancifolius subsp. celebicus (Blume) K.E.Morris & Lammers

Family: 

Campanulaceae 

Synonym Name: 

Campanula celebica D.Dietr.

Campanula truncata D.Dietr.

Campanumoea celebica Blume

Campanumoea leucocarpa (Miq.) C.B.Clarke

Codonopsis celebica (Blume) Miq.

Codonopsis lancifolia subsp. celebica (Blume) Moeliono

Codonopsis leucocarpa Miq.

Cyclocodon celebicus (Blume) D.Y.Hong

Cyclocodon leucocarpus Miq.

Description: 

Sprawling or erect perennial herb, up to 3 m tall, glabrous to hairy, branched, with hollow stem and tuberous rhizome. Leaves opposite; petiole 3-15 mm long; blade ovate-elliptical, 3-14 cm × 1-4 cm, serrate. Flowers 7-15 mm in diameter, white to pale pink, axillary, solitary or in cymes of 3, through reduction of upper leaves resembling a terminal panicle; pedicel up to 6 cm long; calyx lobes 4-7, lanceolate; corolla tubular with 4-7 lobes; stamens 4-6; pistil with 4-6-celled ovary, style and 5-6 stigmas. Fruit a subglobular berry, up to 1 cm in diameter, whitish, with persistent calyx. Seeds numerous, with finely reticulated testa. 

Fruit - flowering: 

Flowering season from August to September, fruit from September to November.

Distribution: 

Found in Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, China South-Central, East Himalaya, India, Jawa, Laos, Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam. In Vietnam, Son La, Ha Giang, Lao Cai, and Kon Tum. The tree grows naturally on the edge of the forest, at an altitude of 500-1600 m. Rare tree (VU) has been included in the Red Book of Vietnam.

Ecological: 

Natural propagation by seed. Ripe fruit birds and rodents are also seed dispersers. Trees cut down or cut off the remaining stem are still able to regenerate. Plants like moisture, slightly resistant to shade; Usually grows on the edge of forests, near water sources, in moist evergreen closed forests, at an altitude of 800 - 1600 m.

Uses: 

Tonic, stimulates digestion, cough, hoarseness (rhizome).

The starchy rhizome, stems and leaves are used cooked as food and vegetable in times of scarcity.

Reference: 

- theplantlist.org

- efloras.org

- ipni.org

- uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Codonopsis_lancifolia_(PROSEA)