山橙 shan chen

Lycimnia suaveolens Hance in Walpers, Ann. Bot. Syst. 3: 31. 1852; Melodinus laetus Champion ex Bentham.

Lianas to 10 m, glabrous except for inflorescences. Petiole to 1.2 cm; leaf blade elliptic or ovate, 5-10 X 1.8-5 cm, leathery, base attenuate to rounded, apex short acuminate. Cymes terminal and axillary. Flower buds rounded or obtuse at apex, minutely pubescent outside. Flowers fragrant. Sepals ovate, ca. 3 mm, minutely pubescent outside, apex rounded or obtuse. Corolla white, tube 1-1.4 cm; lobes 0.5-1 as long as tube, suborbicular, falcate, with a distinct notch near apex; corona campanulate or tubular, apex 5-cleft, exserted from throat. Berries globose, 5-8 cm in diam. Fl. May-Nov, fr. Aug-Dec.

Open forests, humid brushwood; 100-800 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan [Vietnam]

A fine, strong bast fiber, obtained from the inner bark, is used in making ropes and sacks. The fruit is used to treat abdominal pain, infantile malnutrition due to intestinal parasites, indigestion, and hernia.