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Useful Tropical Plants

Gnetum edule

(Willd.) Blume

Gnetaceae

+ Synonyms

Gnemon edulis (Willd.) Kuntze

Gnetum funiculare Brongn.

Gnetum pyrifolium Miq. ex Parl.

Gnetum scandens Roxb.

Gnetum ula Brongn.

Thoa edulis Willd.

Common Name:

Gnetum edule
Drawing of the leaves, flowers and fruit
Photograph by: Rheede tot Drakestein, H.A. van, Hortus Indicus Malabaricus, vol. 7: t. 22 (1686)
Creative Commons License
Gnetum edule Gnetum edule

General Information

Gnetum edule is a large, evergreen, climbing plant with woody, twining stems.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of oil.
Within some parts of its range this species is considered rare and endangered; it is also likely to have been affected by extensive habitat loss in recent years through conversion of land for agriculture and plantations, encroachment of human settlements and flooding as a consequence of hydro-electric projects. On a regional basis it may well be threatened, however, the global range is large and occurrence in many ecoregions across India means it does not meet the threshold for a threatened category based on range size at present. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

E. Asia - southwest India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Habitat

Hill forests[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Climber
Height0.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Species in this genus usually prefer a position in light to deep shade, growing best in a moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil[
974
Title
Encyclopedia of Tropical Plants - Identification and Cultivation of over 3,000 Tropical Plants
Publication
 
Author
Ahmed Fayaz
Publisher
Firefly Books Ltd.; New Zealand
Year
2011
ISBN
978-1-55407-489
Description
A good photograph and terse but detailed information for over 3,000 species of tropical plants. An excellent reference.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
].

Edible Uses

Fruit[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. This eport is likely to refer to the seed, which in many species is eaten after roasting[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

An oil obtained from the seed is used medicinally[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Other Uses

An oil obtained from the seed is used for illumination[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Gnetum%20edule>

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