Elegant Ivy Vine

Overview

Ampelocissus elegans is native to Myanmar, Thailand, and the Malay Peninsula. The trifoliate leaves of A. elegans are used in cooking and herbs. It used as a spice in cooking. The fruit of A. elegans can be used in Chinese herbs. Ampelocissus elegans merupakan tanaman merambat yang sebarannya meliputi Indonesia (Sumatra), Semenanjung Malaya, Myanmar, Thailand. Harvested from the wild for traditional medicine in North Sumatra by Karonese, and reported that fruit of A. elegans are also used in Chinese traditional medicine to cure various diseases. The leaves are used as herbs and spices for cooking. Sometimes, it is grown as an ornamental plant.

Vernacular Names

No found data on this. Need further research.

Agroecology

Elegant ivy vine can be found in terrestrial (primary rainforest, secondary rainforest). It prefers full sun to partial shade, and a well-drained soil.

Morphology

• Stems - covered in a dense indumentum, turn brown with age, and up to 8 mm across.
• Leaves - simple when immature, but 3-lobed to 3–5-foliolate with sessile leaflets when mature. The leaf blade is covered with dense white indumenta that turn brown with age, and are persistent on the nerves and below. The terminal leaflet is obovate, 9.5–20 × 4–9.5 cm, and the lateral leaflets are oblique ovate and 5–18 × 2–10.5 cm. The bases of the leaflet blades are decurrent.
• Flower - the inflorescence is a panicle of spikes and 21–38 cm long. It has green petals and a green disc.
• Fruit - berry is ovoid, ripens red, and is about 8 mm across, and bears 1–4 seeds. 

Cultivation

Vegetatively propagated by stem cutting.

Chemical Constituents

No found data on this. Need further research.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• A. elegans is used as stamina booster by Karonese (Indonesia).
• It is used in the treatment of stomachache.