Common Name:

General Information

Gynochthodes umbellata is an evergreen climbing shrub with stems up to 20 metres long and 14cm in diameter. The plant can climb high into the surrounding vegetation[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines to New Guinea, Australia and the western Pacific.

Habitat

Forests and thickets at elevations from sea level to 1,500 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw when fully ripe, or cooked[, ]. The immature fruit is cooked in curries whilst still green[]. The fresh fruits emit an odour much like that of a strong cheese such as gorgonzola[]. The fruit is actually an infructescence of several small fruits - orange in colour, the infructescence is about 8 - 10mm in diameter[].

Medicinal

The roots are strongly purgative[]. The boiled roots are used as a treatment for dropsy[].

The leaves, combined with certain aromatic plants, is used in decoction as a treatment for diarrhea and dysentery[].

A decoction of the leaves and roots is used as a vermifuge for children[]. A decoction of the roots and leaves is
used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery[]..

The root-bark contains the glucoside morindine[].

Other Uses

A dye can be obtained from the bark of the roots and stem; it is used for colouring cotton cloth yellow, red or brown[, ].
The root-bark contains the coloring matter, morindone[].

The stems are used as rough ropes in Sri Lanka[].

Propagation

Seed -

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