Argyreia capitiformis (Poir.) Ooststr.

Stems twining, up to 10 or 15 m high, young parts patently brown or fulvous hirsute, occasionally appressed-pilose with softer hairs. Leaves ovate to orbicular, rarely oblong-lanceolate, occasionally slightly contracted in the middle, 7½-18 by 4-13 cm, base shallowly to deeply cordate, apex acuminate; brown or fulvous-hirsute on both sides with patent to appressed hairs; nerves 13-18 on either side of midrib, straight at the base, curved near the margin; petiole slender, 5-16 cm long, mostly patently hirsute. Peduncles rather stout, 3-30 cm, patently hirsute. Flowers in a dense, capitate cyme. Bracts persistent, outer ones elliptic to narrowly lanceolate, acute at both ends, ca 1½-4 cm long, brown or fulvous-hirsute outside and at the margins, glabrous inside except at the apex; upper bracts narrower. Pedicels very short or none. Sepals lanceolate or ovate-oblong to oblong, acuminate, patently hirsute outside; 3 outer ones 15-17 mm long, 2 inner ones 12 mm. Corolla funnel-shaped, 4½-5½ cm long, reddish purple, pale violet or pink, often paler without and towards base, rarely entirely white; limb subentire, midpetaline bands hirsute outside. Stamens and style included. Filaments glandular-pilose at the base, the corolla inside with long hairs between their bases. Ovary glabrous, 2-celled. Fruit globose, 8 mm diam., with leathery wall, orange red, reddish or brownish, 4-or less-seeded.

Thickets, secondary forests, edges of forests, teak-forests, roadsides, open grounds, from sea-level to 1700 m.

Uses. The stems are used as binding material for bundles of firewood (Sumatra: Karo Uplands).