Anodendron paniculatum

A. DC.

Andamese bowstring plant

ApocynaceaeFruitPotential hazards — see below

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(c) Radha Veach, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit

The fruit are eaten.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a tropical plant. It grows in dry deciduous forests. It occurs in the Western Ghats in India.

Andamans, Asia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Northeastern India, Laos, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A woody creeper. It grows 20 m long. The bark is brown. The leaf stalks are 3 cm long. The leaves are narrowly oval and 14-28 cm long by 1-10 cm wide. They are wedge shaped or rounded at the base. The flower panicles are 15 cm long. The flowers are small and tube shaped and white or yellow. They are in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches. The fruit are large follicles in pairs. These can be 16 cm long by 3 cm wide. They are black when ripe. The seeds are small and flattened and 1-2 cm long by 6-8 mm wide. These have a silky tuft attached.

How to Grow

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Other Uses

A very strong, fine fibre is obtained from the bark. It is used for making nets. The fibre is highly esteemed locally. The sap of the plant is said to contain latex from which rubber can be made. However, in many areas the sap is completely without latex.

Production

In southern India it flowers and fruits February to October.

Names & Synonyms

Gambi, Kakkakodi, Liane parachute plant, Sarakkodi, Theikelki, Twin-net

Anodendron lanceolatum King & GambleAnodendron manubriatum Merr.Anodendron moluccanum Miq.Anodendron rhinosporum ThwaitesAnodendron sutepense KerrAnodendron tenuiflorum (Miq.) Miq.Echites manubriatus Wall. [Invalid]Echites paniculatus Roxb. [Illegitimate] Echites parviflorus Roxb.Echites polyanthus Wall. [Invalid]Echites trichotomus Desf.Epigynum parviflorum (Roxb.) Hook. f.Gymnema nepaulense J. GrahamIchnocarpus paniculatus Moon [Invalid]Strophanthus balansae Franch.Tabemaemontana tenuiflora Miq.

References (2)

Lalfakzuala, R., 2007, Ethnobotanical usages of plants in western Mizoram. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. Vol 6(3) pp 480-493
Sukarya, D. G., (Ed.) 2013, 3,500 Plant Species of the Botanic Gardens of Indonesia. LIPI p 895