Urceola polymorpha is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It is native to Indochina (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam).[1][2]

Urceola polymorpha
Aganonerion polymorphum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Urceola
Species:
U. polymorpha
Binomial name
Urceola polymorpha
(Pierre ex Spire) D.J.Middleton & Livsh. (2018)
Synonyms[1]

Aganonerion polymorphum Pierre ex Spire (1906)

This plant is a perennial herb with glabrous climbing stems of 1.6–4.0 m long. Its leaves are ovate glabrous with short petioles, and are 2.5–10 cm long and 2–5 cm wide. The tips of the leaves are sharpened while the base is cordate. Its flowers are umbel, with follicles that are 8–15 cm long and 5–8 mm wide.[3]

Urceola polymorpha is used medicinally and as a food, appearing for example in a traditional Vietnamese soup called canh chua. In Vietnamese, the plant is called lá giang, literally "river leaf." In Cambodia, it is called /vɔə tʰnɜŋ/ (វល្លិថ្នឹង) or /kaɔt prɷm/ (កោតព្រំ).[4]

The species was first described in 1906 as Aganonerion polymorphum. In 2018 it was reclassified into genus Urceola as Urceola polymorpha.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Urceola polymorpha (Pierre ex Spire) D.J.Middleton & Livsh. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  2. ^ Dy Phon, P. (2000). Dictionnaire des plantes utilisées au Cambodge: 1-915. Chez l'auteur, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
  3. ^ Tanaka, Yoshitaka; Van Ke, Nguyen (2007). Edible Wild Plants of Vietnam: The Bountiful Garden. Thailand: Orchid Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-9745240896.
  4. ^ Pauline Dy Phon, វចនានុក្រមរុក្ខជាតិប្រើប្រាស់ក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា, Dictionnaire des Plantes utilisées au Cambodge, Dictionary of Plants used in Cambodia, ភ្នំពេញ Phnom Penh, បោះពុម្ពលើកទី ១, រោងពុម្ព ហ ធីម អូឡាំពិក (រក្សាសិទ្ធិ៖ អ្នកគ្រូ ឌី ផុន) គ.ស. ២០០០, ទំព័រ ១២-១៣, 1st edition: 2000, Imprimerie Olympic Hor Thim (© Pauline Dy Phon), 1er tirage : 2000, Imprimerie Olympic Hor Thim, p. 12-13.