Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Growth Form | Herbaceous Plant |
|---|---|
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietname), Southern China (Yunnan, Hainan, Guangdong), Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Herb or sub shrub to 1.5m tall |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves elliptic to ovate-elliptic |
| Flowers | Flowers white; corolla tube 1.5-1.8m long, lower lip lobed, 0.7-1.2cm long, white with faint purplish red spots towards the centre. Upper lip linear - lanceolate, held erect (upright), 0.6-0.8mm long. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Medicinal: In Chinese folk medicine, the entire plant is harvested, dried and used as a tea substitute. The young shoots and leaves are also dried and ground into a powder and consumed orally as a treatment for diabetes, gastritis, high blood pressure, and to improve blood circulation. Active compounds (Rhinacanthins) extracted from the roots have also been shown to exhibit antitumor effects (see references listed below). c Reference: 1. Antitumor activity of liposomal naphthoquinone esters isolated from Thai medicinal plant: Rhinacanthus nasutus Siripong P, Yahuafai J, Shimizu K, Ichikawa K, Yonezawa S, Asai T, Kanokmedakul K, Ruchirawat S, Oku N.Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Nov; 29(11):2279-83.2. Induction of apoptosis in tumor cells by three naphthoquinone esters isolated from Thai medicinal plant: Rhinacanthus nasutus KURZ. Siripong P, Yahuafai J, Shimizu K, Ichikawa K, Yonezawa S, Asai T, Kanokmedakul K, Ruchirawat S, Oku N. Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Oct; 29(10):2070-6. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Container Planting |
| Thematic Landscaping | Silver Garden, Economic Garden |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun, Semi-Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils, Easy to Grow |
| Pest(s) | Sucking Insects |
| Propagation Method | Stem Cutting |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Thin |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | White |
|---|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Thin |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 31857 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 6257 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |