Colona auriculata

Colona auriculata[1] is a shrub species first described by Desfontaines, with its current name after Craib; the genus Colona is in the family Malvaceae[2] and now placed in the subfamily Grewioideae. No subspecies are listed in the Catalogue of Life.[2]

Colona auriculata
Dehiscent seed pods and leaves from Cat Tien National Park: where bushes are particularly common in seasonally-flooded forest clearings. R. Bateman
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Malvaceae
Genus:	Colona
Species:	C. auriculata
Binomial name
Colona auriculata (Desf.) Craib
Synonyms
Diplophractum auriculatum Desf. Columbia auriculata (Desf.) Baill.

The species is distributed in Indonesia and throughout Indochina; in Vietnam it is frequently found in the provinces of and between Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau its common name is bồ an.[3] The roots are used in Cambodia to make antipyretic herbal medicines.[4]

Description

Colona auriculata[1] is a bushy plant typically 1-5m high, with trailing branches and irregular roots. Leaves are staggered, asymmetrical, densely pubescent on the underside (see illustration).[3] Flowers are variable: mostly yellow with red flecks on petals. Flowering is usually in June - August.[4] The spherical pods are approximately 20 mm in diameter, typically with 5 lobes and contain many seeds.

References

1. Craib, 1925 In: Fl. Thailand. Enum. 188
2. Roskov Y.; Kunze T.; Orrell T.; Abucay L.; Paglinawan L.; Culham A.; Bailly N.; Kirk P.; Bourgoin T.; Baillargeon G.; Decock W.; De Wever A. (2014). Didžiulis V. (ed.). "Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2014 Annual Checklist". Species 2000: Reading, UK. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
3. Phạm Hoàng Hộ (1999) Cây Cỏ Việt Nam: an Illustrated Flora of Vietnam vol. I publ. Nhà Xuẩt Bản Trẻ, HCMC, VN
4. VN Creatures: Flora

External links