Desmodium pulchellum Benth.

Desmodium pulchellum Pod (Fruit)

(Hidayat & Abdurrahman, 2017)

Desmodium pulchellum Tree

(Hidayat & Abdurrahman, 2017)

Desmodium pulchellum Pod (Fruit)

(Hidayat & Abdurrahman, 2017)

Regnum                : Plantae – Plants

Subregnum           : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Divisio                  : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Subclassis             : Rosidae

Classis                  : Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Ordo                     : Fabales

Familia                 : Fabaceae – Pea family

Genus                   : Desmodium.

Species                 : Desmodium pulchellum Benth. – Synonim  Phyllodium pulchellum (L.)  Desv.

Description

Payang-payang is an erect undershrub, 0.5 to 1.5 meters in height. Leaves are 3-foliate. Leaflets are finely hairy beneath, the terminal one being oblong, 8 to 13 centimeters long, and more than twice as large as the two lateral ones. Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 2.5-11 x 2-5 cm, ovate, elliptic or ovate-oblong, base subacute, margins wavy, apex obtuse or subacute, glabrescent and subrugose above, finely downy and pale beneath, thin-coriaceous, lateral less than half as long as the terminal, inequilateral; petiole to 2 cm long; stipules c. 5 mm long, ovate (Philippine Medical Plants, 2017). The distribution in tropical area and Australia. 

Inflorescence is terminal and axillary, and 8 to 25 centimeters long. Flowers are white and about 6 millimeters long, umbellate or fascicled, hidden by the distichous, orbicular bracts, which are 1 to 1.5 centimeters in diameter. Stamens are 10, upper one free, other 9 united. Ovary is few- to many-ovuled, superior. Racemes terminal or axillary, 7-16 cm long; primary bracts 10-18, leafy, 1.2-1.5 x 1.2-1.5 cm, orbicular, each enclosing 1-5 flowers, stipellate; secondary bracts c. 1 mm long, ovate; bracteoles to 2 mm long. Calyx c. 2 mm long, puberulous, teeth lanceolate. Corolla yellowish; standard 4-5 mm long, obovate; wings c. 4 mm long, elliptic (Philippine Medical Plants, 2017). 

Pods 4-6 x 3-4 mm, indented on both sutures, sessile; joints usually 2, slightly longer than broad, pubescent. Fruits are pods, oblong, hairy and usually of 2, rarely 1- or 3 joints 

Desmodium pulchellum have a lot chemical subtance such alkaloid, Anti-Hepatofibrotic, anthelmintic, anti-diarrheal, phenolic etc. 

Desmodium pulchellum have many function especially in southeast asia, in java, malay and philippine, people common to use the leaves or pod as fortune decoration, folkloric, and traditional medicine. In research study this plant still have potensial for human so there a lot of research of this plant.

Location: Zone 2, UPI Botanical Garden

Please cite this article as:

Azis, A. M. (2019). UPI Seed Plants: Desmodium pulchellum-Synonim Phyllodium pulchellum (L.)  Desv. Online at 

https://upiseedplants-one-aldi.blogspot.com/. Accessed (Date)