Common Name:

General Information

Alyxia halmaheirae is an evergreen climbing shrub with stems that scramble over the ground or twine into the surrounding vegetation.
The plant is often harvested from the wild for traditional medicinal use. It is sold in local markets, usually as an ingredient in a proprietary medicine[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Indonesia.

Habitat

Porous nickel and thin sandstone soils, in open or dense primary or secondary forest, at elevations from 20 - 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

We have seen no specific record for this species, but local wine industries sometimes use Alyxia to flavour their product with the coumarin substances found in the bark[].

Medicinal

The bark is used as an ingredient in medicines in Indonesia, combined with fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)[]. This mixture is frequently used in Javanese traditional medicine to treat various illnesses and to impart flavour and a pleasant odour to the other ingredients[]. It is a principle ingredient in about 18 different manufactured medicines from Central Java - these are used as antispasmodics and for treating stomach-ache, flatulence, colic, fever, dysentery, as a carminative and for sprue[]. The leaves and flowers taste spicy and rather bitter when still fresh and are sometimes used instead of the bark[].
The bark, leaves and flowers can be taken as infusion to treat gonorrhoea[].

The compounds responsible for the fragrant smell of many Alyxia species are a mixture of isomeric coumarins which are particularly found in the bark[].
The presence of iridoid substances is also reported[].

Other Uses

Many species throughout the range of the genus are used in personal adornment and it is thought that the name Alyxia comes from the Greek 'halusis' meaning a chain, in reference to the making of leis in the Pacific. Leis are chains of leaves and the bark after it has been stripped off the wood. These are twisted around each other to form a decorative and scented chain for use on festive occasions[].

Propagation

Seed - the plant is easy to grow from seed, especially if the fruit pulp is removed prior to sowing[, ].
Cuttings of 5 - 8mm diameter and 10 - 15cm long are preferred. The cuttings are directly inserted to a depth of 2cm in a medium of equal parts soil and compost. The cuttings should be screened from direct sunlight and regularly sprayed to maintain humidity. After 2 weeks roots of 1cm length will have developed, and the first pair of leaves can be discerned after 3 weeks. The cuttings are ready for transplanting when 2 - 3 pairs of leaves have developed. Shade as well as frequency of watering can be gradually reduced[].

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