Uvaria grandiflora

Uvaria grandiflora

The large-flowered uvaria (Uvaria grandiflora Roxb. ex Hornem. 1819) is a shrub species belonging to the Annonaceae family.

Systematic –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Division Magnoliophyta,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Subclass Magnoliidae,
Order Magnoliales,
Annonaceae family,
Genus Uvaria,
Species U. grandiflora.
The terms are synonymous:
– Guatteria macrantha C.Presl;
– Unona grandiflora DC.;
– Unona setigera Blanco;
– Uva grandiflora (DC.) Kuntze;
– Uvaria cardinalis Elmer;
– Uvaria flava Teijsm. & Binn.;
– Uvaria grandiflora Roxb.;
– Uvaria grandiflora Wall.;
– Uvaria grandiflora var. flava (Teijsm. & Binn.) J.Sinclair;
– Uvaria grandiflora var. tuberculata (King) J.Sinclair;
– Uvaria platypetala Champ.;
– Uvaria platypetala Champ. ex Benth.;
– Uvaria purpurea Blume;
– Uvaria purpurea var. alba Miq.;
– Uvaria purpurea var. alba Scheff.;
– Uvaria purpurea var. angustifolia Miq.;
– Uvaria purpurea var. flava (Teijsm. & Binn.) Scheff.;
– Uvaria purpurea var. glabra Burck;
– Uvaria purpurea var. glabra Burck ex Boerl.;
– Uvaria purpurea var. glabrescens Becc.;
– Uvaria purpurea var. glabrescens Becc. ex Scheff.;
– Uvaria purpurea var. neoguineensis Diels;
– Uvaria purpurea var. subbiflora Miq.;
– Uvaria purpurea var. tuberculata King;
– Uvaria rhodantha Hance;
– Uvaria rhodantha Hance ex Walp.;
– Uvaria rubra C.B.Rob.;
– Uvaria setigera (Blanco) Blanco.
The following varieties are recognized within this species:
– Uvaria grandiflora var. flava (Teijsm. & Binn. ex Miq.) Scheff.;
– Uvaria grandiflora var. grandiflora.

Etymology –
The term Uvaria comes from the Latin “uvarius, a, um”, from grape, therefore similar to a bunch of grapes, with reference to the fruits of some species of the genus.
The specific epithet grandiflora comes from the Latin names “grandis”, i.e. large and “flos, -oris”, i.e. flower, with obvious reference to the size of the flowers.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Uvaria grandiflora is a plant native to an area that includes: China (Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan), Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam and New Guinea.
Its habitat is that of open forests, thickets at altitudes between 400 and 1,000 meters in southern China.

Description –
Uvaria grandiflora is a plant that grows in the form of a climbing shrub up to 10 m tall; these are pubescent to ferruginous, densely stellate and tomentose.
The leaf petioles are 5-8 mm long and the leaf blade is oblong-obovate, 7-30 × 3.5-12.5 cm, with a papery to thinly leathery consistency, with secondary veins 10-17(-24 ) on each side of the median vein and approx. 60° with respect to the middle vein, slightly chordate base, acute apex, briefly acuminate or sometimes caudate.
The leaf inflorescences are opposite, cymose, with 1(-3) flowers; bracts 2, ovate to obovate, about 3×2.5 cm.
The flowers are hermaphroditic and are borne by a 0.5-5 cm long pedicel, 7-11 cm in diameter, with a 3-lobed ovate calyx with an obtuse to acute apex, about 2 cm long and 3 cm wide, yellowish green in colour, and 6 petals, three internal obovate-oblong and three external ovate, of almost equal size, about 4 cm long and 3 cm wide, thick and slightly hairy, of a vermilion red color tending over time to purple, cream yellow at the base. The numerous stamens, together with the pistils, form a compact globe in the center of the flower.
The fruit is a cluster of monocarps, on a 1.5-3 cm long pedicel, almost cylindrical with mucronate apex, tomentose, orange-yellow in colour, 3-7 cm long and 1.5-2 cm in diameter, with fleshy pulp.
Inside there are 5-20 flattened ovoid seeds of light brown colour.

Cultivation –
Uvaria grandiflora is a hardy climbing shrub that is used locally, being harvested in the wild for its edible fruits, medicinal uses and stems, which can be used like rattan.
The plant is sometimes cultivated; it is a vigorous species with large showy flowers, rather rare outside its areas of origin, cultivable in tropical and subtropical climate zones in full sun or partial shade. It is not particularly demanding regarding the soil, as long as it is draining, and well rooted it can resist periods of drought; can be used for ornamental purposes against walls or supported by sturdy railings.
This plant can also be cultivated in pots, where the climate does not allow it to be outdoors all year round, in bright environments with temperatures not lower than 15 °C; watering must be regular and abundant in summer, reduced in winter, allowing the substratum to partially dry out, and fertilization, during the vegetative period, carried out with products balanced with microelements.
The plant reproduces by seed, previously kept in water for 1-2 days, in an organic substrate with the addition of 30% sand or perlite, kept humid, at a temperature of 24-26 °C, with germination times of 1- 2 months and first flowering when it has reached a height of about 1 m, and by cutting.

Customs and Traditions –
Uvaria grandiflora is a plant known locally by the names: 大花紫玉盘, from hua zi yu pan.
The fruits of this plant are edible, with a rather sweetish pulp that is not particularly appreciated, and are consumed raw or used for preserves.
Leaves, bark and roots are used in various ways in traditional medicine for different pathologies; laboratory studies have highlighted the presence of flavonoids in bark extracts with high antibacterial and antioxidant activity.

Preparation Method –
Uvaria grandiflora is a plant that is used for both food and medicinal purposes.
The fruits are aromatic, eaten raw or preserved.
In the medicinal field, bark, leaves and roots are used and are used in traditional medicine against stomach ache, abdominal pain and skin diseases.
Climbing stems are a good substitute for rattan.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora d’Italia, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/105110079/original.png
– https://tropical.theferns.info/plantimages/3/9/39635447af220d69055ba26ba3962217b41d5ceb.jpg

Attention: Pharmaceutical applications and food uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; we therefore decline any responsibility for their use for healing, aesthetic or food purposes.