Araceae
Rhaphidophora

Rhaphidophora decursiva (Roxb.) Schott

First published in Bonplandia (Hannover) 5: 45 (1857)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Indian Subcontinent to S. China and Indo-China. It is a climber and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

CATE Araceae, 17 Dec 2011. araceae.e-monocot.org

Vernacular
pa shu long
General Description
Lianas, very large, to 20m or more, very robust. Stem green at back, yellow at front, robust, 3–5cm in diam., rooting, internodes 1–2cm. Leaves scattered, each foliage leaf separated from next by several (up to 7) cataphyll-bearing nodes; petiole green, cylindric, 20–40cm, shallowly canaliculate; pulvinus indistinct; petiolar sheath extending to ca. 2/3 along petiole; juvenile leaf blade orbicular, ca. 16 × 13cm, margin entire, apex abruptly acute; mature leaf blade pale green abaxially, green adaxially, oblong-ovate, ovate in outline, 60–70[–100] × 40–50cm, base subcordate, margin irregularly and asymmetrically pinnately divided, apex acute; pinnae 9–15 per side, ca. 20 × 3–5cm at mid-leaf, base narrowed, apex truncate with ascending falcate tip, with a strong costa. Inflorescences axillary, solitary; peduncle green, cylindric, very robust, 11–20 × 1.5–3 cm. Spathe initially involute, afterward spreading, yellow on both sides, cymbiform, oblong-ovate, 17–20 × 10–12cm. Spadix sessile, gray-green, cylindric, 15–16 × 2–3cm, base oblique. Filaments flat, ca. 5mm, nearly as long as ovary, base angustate; anthers yellow, oblong, less than 1mm. Ovary hexagonal-conic, ca. 5 × 3mm; style distinct, ca. 1 cm; stigma yellow, longitudinally oblong; ovules many; funicle laterally inserted, slender. Infructescence 15–20 × 5–5.5cm. Berry green-white, base white or yellow, hexagonal-obconic, ca. 18 × 5mm, apex with a persistent style, stylar region green-white, sloughing to reveal white or yellow pulp cavity.
Phenology
Fl. May–Aug, fr. mature next Jul–Sep.
Habitat
Monsoon rain forests, valley evergreen broad-leaved forests, creeping on ground, over rocks, or climbing against trees.
[CATE]

Uses

Use
The stems and leaves are used medicinally for treating traumatic injuries, fractures, swellings, colds, lumbago, snake bites, coughs, and bronchitis.
[CATE]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Art and Illustrations in Digifolia

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew

  • CATE Araceae

    • Haigh, A., Clark, B., Reynolds, L., Mayo, S.J., Croat, T.B., Lay, L., Boyce, P.C., Mora, M., Bogner, J., Sellaro, M., Wong, S.Y., Kostelac, C., Grayum, M.H., Keating, R.C., Ruckert, G., Naylor, M.F. and Hay, A., CATE Araceae, 17 Dec 2011.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images