Common Name:

General Information

Aganope heptaphylla is a climbing shrub with twining stems[]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It contains the insecticide rotenone, though in lower concentrations than several other species and so probably only suitable for local use as an insecticide.

Known Hazards

The plant contains rotenone and has been used traditionally as a fish poison - the rotenone kills or stuns the fish making them easy to catch, but the fish remain perfectly edible for mammals. Rotenone is classified by the World Health Organization as moderately hazardous. It is mildly toxic to humans and other mammals, but extremely toxic to many insects (hence its use as an insecticide) and aquatic life, including fish. This higher toxicity in fish and insects is because the lipophilic rotenone is easily taken up through the gills or trachea, but not as easily through the skin or the gastrointestinal tract. The lowest lethal dose for a child is 143 mg/kg, but human deaths from rotenone poisoning are rare because its irritating action causes vomiting. Deliberate ingestion of rotenone, however, can be fatal.
The compound decomposes when exposed to sunlight and usually has an activity of six days in the environment.

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Sri Lanla, northeast India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to New Guinea and northern Australia

Habitat

Primary and secondary (dipterocarp) rain forest, often along rivers, swamps, mangrove forest, seashore and rocky sea cliffs; at elevations up to 120 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Climber
Height	0.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[]. Also used as a culinary flavouring[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The plant contains rotenone, which is widely used as an insecticide[, ]. Rotenone is effective against a range of horticultural pests, such as aphids and caterpillars, and also against external body parasites like ticks, lice, fleas and flies. It is reported to be ineffective against bedbugs, cockroaches, scale insects and red spiders.[, ]. The rotenone can be found in various parts of the plant, but is generally most abundant in the bark, especially of the roots. The bark can be dried and powdered for use as an insecticidal dust[].

Propagation

Seed -

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