Commelinaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Murdannia loriformis

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

4/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Murdannia loriformis is an annual to perennial plant with a fibrous rootstock. It produces a basal rosette of leaves with several ascending stems, growing around 15 - 50cm tall, occasionally to 100cm[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. In 1984, Murdannia loriformis became famous in Thailand when some cancer patients recovered after drinking its fresh juice. It is claimed to have a potential for treating, healing or protecting against cancer by strengthening the immune system[ 2184 Title Evaluation of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of the ethanol extract from Murdannia lorifor Publication BioImpacts, 2014 , 4(4), 183-189 Author Kunnaja P. et al., Website http://10.15171/bi.2014.018 Publisher Year 2014 ISBN Description ]. Murdannia loriformis is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2015)[ 2183 Title Revision of the genus (Commelinaceae) in India Publication Phytodiversity Vol.2 (1); 56-112; 2015 Author Nandikar M.D. & Gurav R.V. Publisher Year 2015 ISBN 2349-7068 Description ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeE. Asia - India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, southern China, southern Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guniea

HabitatForests, grassy slopes[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. A common seasonal species, found along forest margins, roadside ditches, in partial to fully shaded habitats; at low to medium elevations