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Useful Tropical Plants

Kadsura heteroclita

(Roxb.) Craib

Schisandraceae

+ Synonyms

Kadsura acuminata P.Parm.

Kadsura billitonensis A.Agostini

Kadsura championii C.B.Clarke

Kadsura interior A.C.Sm.

Kadsura parvifolia A.Agostini

Kadsura polysperma Y.C.Yang

Kadsura roxburghiana Arn.

Kadsura wattii C.B.Clarke

Kadsura wightiana Arn.

Schisandra crassifolia Pierre ex Finet & Gagnep.

Sphaerostema blumeana Griff.

Uvaria heteroclita Roxb.

Common Name:

Kadsura heteroclita
Drawing of the leaves, flowers and fruit
Photograph by: Annals of the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta, vol. 3: t. 73 (1891)
Creative Commons License

General Information

Kadsura heteroclita is an evergreen climbing shrub with twining stems that can be 10 metres or more long.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
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
,1014

Range

E. Asia - India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia

Habitat

Primarily in submontane to montane forests, generally over rocks, or supported by shrubs or trees[
1014
Title
Monograph of Kadsura (Schisandraceae)
Publication
Systematic Botany Monographs Vol. 54
Author
Saunders R.M.K.
Publisher
The American Society of Plant Taxonomists; Michigan
Year
1998
ISBN
0-912861-54-1
Description
A detailed monograph of the genus Kadsura, mentioning plant uses
]. Forests, ravines and along the sides of rivers; at elevations from 800 - 2,000 metres[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Climber
Height10.00 m
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Kadsura heteroclita is native from warm temperate areas to the wet tropicsa of southern Asia. It has some frost tolerance and has been grown successfully in maritime climates such as western Britain.
Requires a sheltered position in a moderately fertile well-drained neutral to acid soil200]. Prefers a position in semi-shade[
219
Title
Gardening on Walls
Publication
 
Author
Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V.
Publisher
Collins
Year
1983
ISBN
0-00-219220-0
Description
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
].
Flowers are produced on the current year's growth[
219
Title
Gardening on Walls
Publication
 
Author
Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V.
Publisher
Collins
Year
1983
ISBN
0-00-219220-0
Description
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
]. Plants can flower and fruit all year round, especially in the moister, southerly part of its range[
1014
Title
Monograph of Kadsura (Schisandraceae)
Publication
Systematic Botany Monographs Vol. 54
Author
Saunders R.M.K.
Publisher
The American Society of Plant Taxonomists; Michigan
Year
1998
ISBN
0-912861-54-1
Description
A detailed monograph of the genus Kadsura, mentioning plant uses
].
Plants do not really require pruning[
219
Title
Gardening on Walls
Publication
 
Author
Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V.
Publisher
Collins
Year
1983
ISBN
0-00-219220-0
Description
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[
105
Title
Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
Publisher
Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
Year
1976
ISBN
-
Description
The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
,
1014
Title
Monograph of Kadsura (Schisandraceae)
Publication
Systematic Botany Monographs Vol. 54
Author
Saunders R.M.K.
Publisher
The American Society of Plant Taxonomists; Michigan
Year
1998
ISBN
0-912861-54-1
Description
A detailed monograph of the genus Kadsura, mentioning plant uses
]. An unusual citrusy, sweet, mildly peppery flavour. The red, subglobose, aggregate fruit is comprised of around 33 - 41 apocarps 10 - 22mm long and 8 - 10mm wide, each containing 1 - 2 seeds[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
1014
Title
Monograph of Kadsura (Schisandraceae)
Publication
Systematic Botany Monographs Vol. 54
Author
Saunders R.M.K.
Publisher
The American Society of Plant Taxonomists; Michigan
Year
1998
ISBN
0-912861-54-1
Description
A detailed monograph of the genus Kadsura, mentioning plant uses
].

Seed[
105
Title
Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
Publisher
Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
Year
1976
ISBN
-
Description
The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
]. The pear-shaped seeds are 4 - 7mm long and wide[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. No more details are given.

Medicinal

The stems are used in southern China for the treatment of menstrual irregularities, blood deficiencies, and other female disorders[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Derivatives of the root and stem are used as an analgesic and to ameliorate rheumatism, gastroenteritis, and malaria[
1014
Title
Monograph of Kadsura (Schisandraceae)
Publication
Systematic Botany Monographs Vol. 54
Author
Saunders R.M.K.
Publisher
The American Society of Plant Taxonomists; Michigan
Year
1998
ISBN
0-912861-54-1
Description
A detailed monograph of the genus Kadsura, mentioning plant uses
].

The stems have been used in Chinese folk medicine to promote blood circulation and for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcer, acute and chronic gastroenteritis, postpartum abdominal pain and trauma[
2022
Title
Indian Medicinal Plants; An Illustrated Dictionary
Publication
 
Author
Khare C.P. (Ed.)
Publisher
Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg
Year
2007
ISBN
978-0-387-70637-5
Description
 
].

The stem contains dibenzocyclooctadiene type lignans. The plant lignans showed PAF (platelet activating factor) receptor antagonistic activity. The lignans have also been reported to be potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation in rat liver[
2022
Title
Indian Medicinal Plants; An Illustrated Dictionary
Publication
 
Author
Khare C.P. (Ed.)
Publisher
Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg
Year
2007
ISBN
978-0-387-70637-5
Description
 
]..
The fruit contains gomisin D, which is an active ingredient of an antiulcer agent[
2022
Title
Indian Medicinal Plants; An Illustrated Dictionary
Publication
 
Author
Khare C.P. (Ed.)
Publisher
Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg
Year
2007
ISBN
978-0-387-70637-5
Description
 
].

Kadsura species are widely used for a variety of medicinal purposes throughout the geographical range of the genus. Little distinction is made between species, presumably due to the common presence of similar pharmacologically active constituents. Although it can be presumed that a wide range of different Kadsura species have been used medicinally, it is generally only themore common species that are reported in the literature[
1014
Title
Monograph of Kadsura (Schisandraceae)
Publication
Systematic Botany Monographs Vol. 54
Author
Saunders R.M.K.
Publisher
The American Society of Plant Taxonomists; Michigan
Year
1998
ISBN
0-912861-54-1
Description
A detailed monograph of the genus Kadsura, mentioning plant uses
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a shady position in a nursery seedbed.. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on until they are large enough to plant out.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel. Good percentage[
78
Title
Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
Publication
 
Author
Sheat. W. G.
Publisher
MacMillan and Co
Year
1948
ISBN
-
Description
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
].
Layering of long shoots in the autumn[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-10. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Kadsura+heteroclita>

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