Snake Climber

Overview

Scindapsus hederaceus is native to Indo-China to West and Central Malesia, and distributed to Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java and Borneo), and probably to Philippines. It is a good native substitute for the numerous climber aroids grown ornamentally. It is suitable for planting in parks and gardens for its beautiful deep green foliage. It is also used for traditional medicine in Malaysia for rheumatism.

Vernacular Names

Akar lebang alih (Malay).

Agroecology

Found in dry evergreen forest, very rarely in peat swamp forest, on sandstone, sometimes on limestone. It grows in lowland and lower montane forests up to 1,500 m altitude on rocks and trees. Prefers semi-shade to full shade. Requires moderate water, and moist, fertile, loamy soils.

Morphology

• Roots - clasping roots.
• Stem - subterranean stem a subglobose, stoloniferous tuber, up to 4 cm across and 2 cm high, white, with stolons to 10 × 1 cm, green, mottled grey and pink.
• Leaves - alternate, simple and entire, stalked leaves have deep green elliptic to broadly lance-shaped leaf blades that are 10–21 by 3–8.5 cm.
• Flowers - found on a cylindrical, creamy white, 2.5–7 cm-long shoot (spadix) enclosed by a boat-shaped, yellowish-green, 4–8 cm-long, modified leaf (spathe).
• Fruit - red-orange when ripe, 8–10 × 5–7 mm, top rounded, up to 3 seeds per berry.
• Seed - globose, 3–4 mm in diameter.

Cultivation

Propagated by seed (generative propagation), and by stem-cutting (vegetatively).

Chemical Constituents

No found data on this. Need further research.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Studies have suggested stimulant, diaphoretic, aphrodisiac, carminative and anthelmintic properties.
• Studies have shown the plant has anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, antiprotozoal, and antipyretic activities.
• Traditionally used to stop diarrhea and as an expectorant to treat asthma. It also has antiprotozoal activity and is applied externally to treat rheumatism.