This species is rather controversial, as some authors claim that it has a wide distribution area from southern China to Australia - many different varieties are then distinguished, mainly based on the hairiness of different plant parts. We are following the treatment in the 'World Checklist of Selected Plant Families', which views Pavetta indica in a more narrow sense as being restricted to India and Sri Lanka, with a number of other closely related species found from southern China to Australia. The medicinal uses listed here under Pavetta indica are often for plants growing wild outside of India and Sri Lanka and so are more correctly referred to those species - if we knew which species they refer to!! It is likely, however, that these closely related species will all have the same or very similar, medicinal properties[].

Common Name:

General Information

Pavetta indica is an evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow from 3 - 5 metres tall[]
The plant has a range of medicinal uses and other minor traditional uses. It is often cultivated as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - India, Sri Lanka, ?Philippines

Habitat

Common in primary and secondary forests, where it often forms a single stem, but also found in open localities, where branched types are more common; at elevations from sea-level to 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.50 m
Pollinators	Lepidoptera
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position, preferring a humus-rich, well-drained soil[].
Many Pavetta species, including this one, produce leaves with bacterial nodes - these bacteria live in symbiosis with the plant and pass into any seeds that are produced, thus seedlings are already inocculated with the bacteria[]. It is not certain what function the bacteria play, theories include nitrogen-fixation, growth-regulation and making the leaves poisonous to livestock[].
Pavetta indica is confined to India and Sri Lanka - there are several closely related species in other areas formerly considered its range, from southern China through southeast Asia to Australia.
In Java, there are Pavetta axillaris Bremek.; Pavetta montana Reinw. Ex Blume; Pavetta reinwardtii Bremek.; Pavetta subvelutina Miq.; and Pavetta sylvatica Blume.
Plants from China, previously treated as Pavetta indica, belong to the species Pavetta hongkongensis Bremek.[].

Edible Uses

The fruit has a sweet taste when ripe, and is also used as a condiment when kept in vinegar[]. The black fruit is a globose drupe, 5 - 6mm in diameter[].

The flowers are eaten[].

Medicinal

The naming of this species is rather controversial - see the nomenclatural notes above for more information. Many of the medicinal uses listed here could be more properly referred to one or more of the species that grow in the region where the use is recorded, although it is more than likely that all the species have very similar uses and properties and can be used interchangeably[].

A decoction of the leaves is drunk during the first days after childbirth as a protective medicine. It is also taken when the birth is delayed and as a treatment for fever[].
The leaves are used for poulticing boils[]. A cooled decoction of the leaves is applied as a wash to ulcers of the nose and topically to treat haemorrhoidal pains[, ].

The root is considered aperient, diuretic, purgative and tonic[]. It is prescribed in the treatment of intestinal obstructions, constipation, jaundice, headache, urinary diseases and dropsy[, ]. The crushed root bark, combined with rice water and ginger, is taken as a diuretic and for the treatment of dropsy[].
The root, root bark or stem bark can alsl be used as a treatment for intestinal obstructions[].
The roots are used for poulticing stubborn itch[].

A poultice of the stem bark is applied topically for soothing haemorrhoids[].

An infusion of the thinly cut wood is taken as a treatment for rheumatism[].

A sttudy of the methanol extract of the plant has shown antiinflammatory activity comparable to the standard non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin[]. This extract has also shown antipyretic activity[].
A study of the ethanolic extract of the leaf showed significant dose-dependent inhibition of pain response[].
Flavonoids in the plant have demonstrated effective diuretic activity[].
N essential oil in the plant yielded 24 compounds - the major constituents Alpha-pinene (25.45%), Alpha-eudesmol (7.06%) and tricyclene (5.74%)[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The leaves provide a good green mulch[].

Other Uses

An infusion of the fragrant flowers is used as a cosmetic after bathing[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings of half-ripe wood taken at a node.
Air-layering.

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