Polyscias fruticosa
| Polyscias fruticosa | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Araliaceae |
| Genus: | Polyscias |
| Species: | P. fruticosa
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| Binomial name | |
| Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms
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| Synonyms | |
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Polyscias fruticosa, or Ming aralia, is a perennial dicot evergreen shrub or dwarf tree in the ivy family Araliaceae, found in tropical and subtropical regions. The plant grows fairly slowly but can reach up to 3–5 m in height. The leaves are of a dark green pigment, glossy in texture, and are tripinnate. Ming aralia is commonly grown as an ornamental and is also valued for its culinary and medicinal uses.
Description
[edit]Ming aralia exhibits a fruticose, or shrubby, growth habit with upright branches, from which its species name fruticosa is derived.
The compound leaves are one of the plant's most distinctive features and contribute to its elegant, finely textured appearance. The leaflets are glossy dark green on the upper surface and lighter beneath, giving rise to the name Polyscias, meaning "many-shaded", characteristic of the foliage of other plants in this genus. The overall leaf form is tripinnate, sometimes five-pinnate, giving it a feathery, fern-like look. Individual leaflets vary from narrowly ovate to lanceolate and are about 10 cm long, with serrated or lobed margins.[1][2]
The leaves have an alternate arrangement, borne on slender, slightly woody stalks that measure 5–15 cm long. The petioles carry compound leaves with up to seven or more opposite leaflets, arranged along a central stalk (rachis). On some specimens, the petioles, rachises, and petiolules have a reddish hue. In optimal conditions, the foliage is dense and finely divided, making Ming aralia popular as an ornamental houseplant or hedge.
The flowers are small, inconspicuous, and pale yellow to white, typically borne in terminal or axillary umbels or panicles that emerge above or among the foliage. Each flower has five tiny petals and is actinomorphic, characteristic of the Araliaceae family. While not showy, the flowers produce nectar and attract small pollinating insects, particularly bees and flies. Flowering usually occurs during the warm, humid months in tropical regions.[2]
Following pollination, the plant produces small spherical to ovate drupes, about 3–5 mm in diameter, ripening from green to purplish-black or dark brown. Each fruit typically contains one or two seeds, sometimes dispersed by birds or gravity.[2] In cultivated settings, Ming aralia is usually propagated by stem cuttings, as its seeds have low germination rates.[3]
Distribution
[edit]Ming aralia grows primarily in the wet tropical biome, native to the Sulawesi and Maluku Islands of Indonesia, New Guinea, and northeastern Australia. It has been introduced to Bangladesh, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Tonga, the Caribbean, Ghana, and Mozambique.[4]
Uses
[edit]The young leaves are eaten raw in Southeast Asia, accompanying meat dishes or simply dipped in a spicy sauce like nam phrik or sambal. It is known as lep khrut (Thai: เล็บครุฑ) in Thailand, kuku garuda (lit. "Garuda claws") in Malaysia and Indonesia, and đinh lăng in Vietnam. The leaves are also boiled in soups, stir-fried, added to curries, or beaten with eggs to make omelets.[5] The taste and texture of the leaves have been likened to celery and parsley.[6]
In some Asian countries, the leaves of Ming aralia are used as a tonic, anti-inflammatory, antitoxin, and an antibacterial ointment. They have also been used to aid digestion. The root is used as a diuretic, febrifuge, anti-dysenteric, and is employed for neuralgia and rheumatic pains.[8] In Ghana, the plant is used to treat asthma.[9]
Experiments have shown that the root extract of Polyscias fruticosa can extend the lifespan and improve cognitive function in rodents, though these findings have not been extended to humans.[10][11]
Toxicity
[edit]Ming aralia is mildly toxic to cats and dogs if ingested. The saponins in the plant can cause gastrointestinal problems and drooling.[12]
Sources
[edit]
- Maas, Paul J. M.; Westra, L. Y. Th; Westra, Lubbert Y. Th; Farjon, Aljos (1993). Neotropical Plant Families: A Concise Guide to Families of Vascular Plants in the Neotropics. Koeltz Scientific Books. ISBN 978-1-878762-38-2.
- Liogier, Alain H.; Martorell, Luis F. (1982). Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands: A Systematic Synopsis. Ed. de la Universidad. ISBN 978-0-8477-2329-4.
- Huan, Vo Duy; Yamamura, Satoshi; Ohtani, Kazuhiro; Kasai, Ryoji; Yamasaki, Kazuo; Nham, Nguyen Thoi; Chau, Hoang Minh (February 1998). "Oleanane saponins from Polyscias fruticosa". Phytochemistry. 47 (3): 451–457. Bibcode:1998PChem..47..451H. doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(97)00618-3. PMID 9433819.
- Lemke, Cal. "Polyscias fruticosa, Ming Aralia" Plant of the Week. 1 April 2004. University of Oklahoma Department of Botany & Microbiology . 4 May 2009
- Elbert, George A. "Polyscias - Ming Aralias". Rhapis Gardens Gateway to Exotic Palms and Plants.
References
[edit]- ^ "Ming aralia – Lanna Food | Northern Thai Information Center, Chiang Mai University Library". 2 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ a b c "Polyscias fruticosa". NParks.
- ^ "Random plant event: Polyscias fruticosa". 19 November 2015.
- ^ "Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science".
- ^ "Lá đinh lăng xào trứng có tác dụng gì?" [What is the effect of stir-fried galangal leaves with eggs]. Báo điện tử VTC News (in Vietnamese). 2 December 2024.
- ^ "Polyscias fruticosa Ming Aralia, Chinese Ariala PFAF Plant Database".
- ^ "Ming aralia – Lanna Food | Northern Thai Information Center, Chiang Mai University Library". library.cmu.ac.th. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
- ^ Ashmawy, Naglaa S.; Gad, Haidy A.; Ashour, Mohamed L.; El-Ahmady, Sherweit H.; Singab, Abdel Nasser B. (October 2020). "The genus Polyscias (Araliaceae): A phytochemical and biological review". Journal of Herbal Medicine. 23 100377. doi:10.1016/j.hermed.2020.100377.
- ^ Koffuor, George Asumeng; Boye, Alex; Ofori-Amoah, Jones; Kyei, Samuel; Abokyi, Samuel; Nyarko, Raymond Appiah; Bangfu, Ruth Naalukyem (25 October 2014). "Anti-inflammatory and safety assessment of Polyscias fruticosa (L.) Harms (Araliaceae) leaf extract in ovalbumin-induced asthma". The Journal of Phytopharmacology. 3 (5): 337–342. doi:10.31254/phyto.2014.3506.
- ^ "Dinh lang (Polyscias fruticosa)" (PDF).
- ^ Yen, T. T.; Knoll, J. (1992). "Extension of lifespan in mice treated with Dinh lang (Policias fruticosum L.) and (-)deprenyl". Acta Physiologica Hungarica. 79 (2): 119–124. PMID 1304677.
- ^ "Polyscias Fruticosa "Ming Aralia" | Planteria Group".