Tetracera indica (Christm. & Panz.) Merr.
|Common Names:||Sandpaper Vine|
This is a small shrub of up to 2 m tall or a liane growing to 5 m long. Leaves are simple, 6-10 x 3-5 cm, elliptical to oblong or obovate. Flowers are 2.5-3 cm wide with reddish white petals and stamens red above and white below. Fruits are capsules, globular, about 1 cm wide and a 2-6 mm beak, 2 or more seeds, each with 1 cm long aril that is bright red.
DistributionFrom Myanmar southwards to Thailand, Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Banka, Java and Madura.
LocalitiesBukit Batok Nature Park, Changi Beach Park, MacRitchie, Pulau Ubin, Southern Ridges, St John's Island
The roots and leaves are used to treat itch; finely crushed young shoots are made into a poultice to treat snake bites; and fruits are taken for common cold. The plant is used as a fish poison in India. The rough leaves are used as sandpaper and the stem serves as rough cordage.
Chong, K. Y., H. T. W. Tan & R. T. Corlett, 2009. A Checklist of the Total Vascular Plant Flora of
Singapore: Native, Naturalised and Cultivated Species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research,
National University of Singapore, Singapore. 273 pp.
van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. & N. Bunyapraphatsara (eds.) 2002. Plant resources of South-East Asia No. 12(2). Medicinal and poisonous plants 2. Prosea Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. 782 pp.