夜花藤 ye hua teng

Hypserpa cuspidata (J. D. Hooker & Thomson) Miers; H. laevifolia Diels; Limacia cuspidata J. D. Hooker & Thomson.

Woody vines. Branchlets sparsely to densely pubescent with yellowish hairs when young, glabrescent. Petiole 1-2 cm, pubescent or subglabrescent; leaf blade ovate, ovate-elliptic to oblong-elliptic, rarely elliptic or broadly elliptic, 4-10(-12) × 1.5-5(-7) cm, papery to leathery, both surfaces usually glabrous, rarely pubescent along nerves, adaxially glossy, base rounded to broadly cuneate, apex acuminate, mucronate, or slightly obtuse with a finely mucronate acumen, palmately 3-veined. Male inflorescences usually only few flowered, cymose to paniculate, 1-2 cm, rarely longer and more flowered, pubescent. Male flowers: sepals 7-11, outer sepals minute and bracteolelike, 0.5-0.8 mm, puberulent outside, innermost 4 or 5 broadly obovate or ovate to ovate-rotund, 1.5-2.5 mm, ciliate; petals 4 or 5, subobovate, 1-1.2 mm; stamens 5-10, free above or connate only at base, 1-1.5 mm. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male; carpels 2; ovary semiglobose or subelliptic, 0.8-1 mm, glabrous. Drupes subglobose, slightly compressed, yellow or orangish red when mature; endocarp obovate, 5-6 mm. Fl. and fr. summer.

Forests, forest margins. S Fujian, C and S Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, S Yunnan [Bangladesh, India (Assam), Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand].

The roots contain the alkaloids limacine and fanchinoline, which are used medicinally.