Albertisia papuana Becc.

Large liana. Branchlets at first tomentellous, later glabrescent, rather smooth, drying blackish. Leaves: petioles with tomentellous swellings at both ends, otherwise subglabrous, 2-10 cm; lamina elliptic-oblong or elliptic, base cuneate to broadly rounded, apex acuminate, (11—)19—32 by (4-)7-14 cm, 1-2 pairs of subbasal nerves apart from 3-4 pairs of lateral nerves, nerves and reticulation raised on both surfaces, glabrous, upper surface often shining, thinly coriaceous. Inflorescences axillary and on older, leafless stems. Male flowers in fascicles: pedicels 4-6 mm, tomentellous; outer sepals 3 + 3, 1.5 mm long, tomentellous; inner calyx creamy white to yel-low, 10 mm long, externally tomentellous; petals 3, fleshy, oblate, scarcely 1 mm long, lateral margins inflexed; synandrium 5 mm long consisting of 24 stamens in 6 vertical rows of 4. Female flowers soli-tary: pedicel and outer sepals similar to male, inner calyx 6 mm long; petals 6, ± obovate, 1 mm long, glabrous; staminodes subulate, 2 mm; carpels 4-6, elongate-ovoid, 2.5 mm long, tomentellous, attenuated into a 1 mm long, subulate, glabrous style. Drupes orange, oblong-ellipsoidal to obovoid-ellipsoidal, 2.7-3.8 by 2-2.6 cm, on peduncle c. 4 mm thick and 10 mm long; endocarp with a marginal raised ridge, 3 by 1.7 cm, smooth, crustaceous.

It is a tropical plant. It grows in primary rainforest at low altitude.

Uses. According to CHIN 2760 the plant is widely cultivated in Barak Distr., Sarawak for the leaves which are used as a flavour-enhancer in cooking; also the fruits are edible.

Plants can be grown from seeds.