Pergularia daemia, the trellis-vine, is a hispid, perennial vine in the family Asclepiadaceae, with an extensive range in the Old World tropics and subtropics.[citation needed] It has been used traditionally to treat a number of ailments.[citation needed] It is sometimes called atufa.[1]
| Pergularia daemia | |
|---|---|
| |
| In Limpopo, South Africa | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Pergularia |
| Species: | P. daemia
|
| Binomial name | |
| Pergularia daemia | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Range and habitat edit
It occurs from the Malay Peninsula to Burma, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan through Arabia and Egypt to central and southern Africa.[2] It is found along roadsides, in woodland or along riparian forest fringes.[3]
Description edit
The opposite[citation needed] and broadly ovate to suborbicular leaves are very variable in size, with petioles of varying length. The leaves are almost glabrous above and velvety below.[2]
In the northern hemisphere the flowers appear from mid to late winter, and these are carried on lateral cymes. The flower corolla forms a greenish-yellow or dull white tube.[2] The fruit mature after some 13 to 14 months[citation needed] when they release ovate seeds covered with velvety hairs.[2]
_seeds.jpg)
Phytochemical properties edit
Terpenoids, flavonoids, sterols and cardenolides are among the chemicals that have been isolated from either the leaves, stems, shoots, roots, seeds or fruit.[citation needed] Traditionally it has been used as an anthelmintic, laxative, antipyretic and expectorant, besides treatment of infantile diarrhoea, malarial intermittent fevers, toothaches and colds.[citation needed] Studies have shown hepatoprotective, antifertility, anti-diabetic, analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties of substances in its aerial parts.[citation needed]
Associated species edit
The larvae of the African monarch butterfly (Danaus chrysippus aegyptius) feed on this species.
References edit
- ^ Odugbemi, Tolu O; Akinsulire, Odunayo R; Aibinu, Ibukun E; Fabeku, Peter O (2006-11-13). "Medicinal Plants Useful for Malaria Therapy in Okeigbo, Ondo State, Southwest Nigeria". African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines. 4 (2): 191–198. doi:10.4314/ajtcam.v4i2.31207. ISSN 0189-6016. PMC 2816451. PMID 20162091.
- ^ a b c d "Pergularia daemia (Forssk.) Chiov". Flora of Pakistan. efloras.org. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
- ^ Hyde, M.; et al. "Pergularia daemia (Forssk.) Chiov". Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
External links edit
- Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Pergularia daemia". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.
- Kyffhäuser.co.nz: Pergularia daemia subsp. garipensis
Media related to Pergularia daemia at Wikimedia Commons
