Pisonia grandis R. Br.

Description:

Bukit Gantang, Perak, Malaysia.Pisonia grandis R. Br. Nyctaginaceae. CN: [Mengkudu Siam, Mengkudu Eropah], Grand devil's-claws. Native to Madagascar, China, Taiwan, Indian Subcontinent (India, Sri Lanka), Malesia ecozone [Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia (Queensland)]. Trees to 14(-30) m; trunk 30-50(-70) cm in diam. Bark white-gray, with conspicuous furrows and large leaf-scars; puberulous to nearly glabrous, lenticels conspicuous; branches unarmed. Petiole 1-8 cm; leaf blade elliptic , oblong, or ovate, (7-) 10-20(-30) (4-) 8-15(-20) cm, papery or membranous, puberulous or glabrescent, lateral veins 8-10 pairs, base rounded or slightly cordate, mostly oblique, margin entire, apex acute to acuminate. Cymes terminal, 1-4 3-5 cm. Young shoots eaten as salad; the ornamental var. alba has paler/light green leaves in contrast to the darker green wild species, normally found along the coastal areas.Synonym(s):Ceodes grandis (R. Brown) D. Q. Lu.Ref and suggested reading:www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?28640zipcodezoo.com/Plants/P/Pisonia_grandis/