(Melastomataceae) Diplectria barbata (Tr. ex C.B.Clarke) Franken & Roos

Local name(s): ເບັນ ອ້າ ເຄືອ (ben ah keuah) ; ເຄືອ ກະ ຖົກ (keuah ka toke)

Medicinal use(s): 

Part(s) used: 

Field Characters: Climber, 3-4 m tall. Inflorescence paniculate, many flowered. Flowers white, pink. Fruit a berry, seeds  numerous, small. 

Locality: Khammouane Province; Nyomalat District; Tong Kong Village, roadside of Route to MBP at the southern reaches of Nakai Nam Theum National Park. 

Habitat: Tropical rainforest on flat level lands. 

Altitude: 150 m asl. 

Collector(s): O. Souliya, K. Phoulivong, D. Makiem and S. Pimmavong

Collection number(s): Onevilay_YML_061

Collection Date: July 22, 2023

Additional information:  

Voucher specimen is in deposit at the Field Museum (F) Herbarium, Chicago, USA under accession no. xxxxxx.

Synonyms, images, taxonomic description: 


Plants of the World onlineFlora of China Vol. 13 Page 392GBIF | Global Biodiversity Information Facility

Medicinal properties:

Hong Y, Lee H, Tran Q, Bayarmunkh C, Boldbaatar D, Kwon SH, Park J, Park J. Beneficial effects of Diplectria barbata (Wall. Ex C. B. Clarke) Franken et Roos extract on aging and antioxidants in vitro and in vivo. Toxicol Res. 2020 Oct 20;37(1):71-83.  doi: 10.1007/s43188-020-00064-z