Harrisonia perforata (Blanco) Merr.

Shrubs nearly erect or somewhat climbing, 1-2 m tall. Leaves odd-pinnate, 3-17-foliolate, 3-14 cm; rachis usually winged; leaflet blades equilaterally or inequilaterally ovate to obovate, 1.5-4.5 × 0.7-2 cm, margin crenulate or sometimes entire, in occasional specimens some crenulations with pellucid cavities that seem to lack oil and may be hydathodes. Inflorescences cymose to racemose, to 3 cm, few to many flowered. Flowers bisexual, mostly 5-merous. Sepals ca. 1.5 mm, connate at base or to ± half their length. Petals ovate-elliptic or lanceolate, 5-7 mm. Stamens to 9 mm. Gynoecium usually 5-carpelled and-loculed; ovary glabrous, slightly lobed, ca. 1 mm; style pubescent, to 8 mm. Fruit subglobose, entire or slightly lobed, 1-1.5 cm in diam.; endocarp ca. 1 mm thick. Seeds ca. 3.5 mm. Fl. Apr-May, fr. May-Aug.

The Malaysian spp. usually on dry, open, hot places, often on limestone rocks, under distinctly seasonal conditions, usually at low altitude, up to 700 m, locally sometimes extremely common in thickets, less common in open monsoon forests.

Uses. In some parts of Malaysia the shoots are used as a drug against diarrhoea. In the Philippines a decoction of the bark and roots is used against diarrhoea and dysentery, and apparently also against cholera ( HEYNE Nutt. Pl. 1927 871 BURK. Dict. 1935 1128 ).

Can be grown by seedlings.