Zanonia indica L.

 Zanonia indica L., Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2: 1292 (1759).

Zanonia indica L.; Đông Đình Nguyễn

Vietnamese name: 

Lục lạc bò; Lục lạc dây; Thiết bát. 

Chinese name: 

翅子瓜 chi zi gua

English name: 

Zanonia Indica

Latin name: 

Zanonia indica L.

Family: 

Cucurbitaceae 

Synonym name:

Juppia borneensis Merr.

Zanonia indica var. indica

Description: 

Stem robust, branched, ± sulcate, glabrous. Leaves glabrous; leaf blade ovate-oblong, 8-16 × 5-10 cm, leathery, abaxially with distinct reticulate veins, lateral veins 3 or 4 pairs, adaxially smooth, base rounded or slightly emarginate, margin entire, apex acute; petiole 1.5-3 cm, glabrous. Male peduncle slender; rachis ca. 16 cm, much branched; pedicel robust, 4-5 mm, with articulation; calyx segments ovate-triangular, ca. 2 mm, glabrous, apex acute; corolla pale yellow-brown; segments oblong, 3-3.5 × 1-1.5 mm, apex obtuse. Female peduncle 10-30 cm, sparsely 5-10-flowered; pedicels thick; calyx segments ca. 4 mm, apex obtuse; corolla segments 6-8 mm; ovary obconic-cylindric, 10-12 mm. Fruit brownish, 6-10 × 2.5-5 cm, finely granulate, base obtuse, apex truncate. Seeds oblong, ca. 2 × 1-1.5 cm; wing yellowish or white, surrounding central seed, 5-8 × 1.3-2 cm, base and apex rounded. 

Flower and fruid season: 

Fl. Nov-Dem, fr. Jan-Feb 

Distribution: 

This species is distributed in China, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam. In VietNam, it found in Đồng Nai to Vĩnh Long.

Ecological: 

Riversides, mountain slopes; at elevations of 300-900 m.

Uses: 

Fruit of the plant for treating asthma and cough; leaves for topical use to reduce inflammation; mixed with butter and milk as a massage medicine to disinfect wounds; used to cook bath water to soothe nerve inflammation caused by nail boils. 

Reference: 

- theplantlist.org

- efloras.org

- ipni.org