Flacourtia inermis Roxb.

Lobi-lobi (Flacourtia inermis) is a thornless tree up to 15 meters tall of the Salicaceae family, native to tropical Asia and Africa, distributed from India to South America. Its refreshingly sour fruit is commonly processed into candied fruit, syrup, and rujak. Lobi-lobi fruit juice is traditionally believed to effectively treat diarrhea and sore throat.

Grows well in places with elevations of 100-1,300 m above sea level and prefers sandy gravel soil. Usually found growing in tropical rainforests. This plant is tolerant of full sunlight and moisture.

• Stem round, hard woody with sympodial branching, rough surface, brown in color, diameter up to 35 cm.
• Leaves oblong ovate to oval ovate, 8-20 cm long, 4-12 cm wide. Upper surface dark green and glossy, lower leaf midrib hairy.
• Flowers axillary consisting of racemes with several hermaphroditic flowers having 3-5 sepals and densely hairy on the inner side, 15-25 stamens, 4-5 pistil stalks.
• Fruit a berry, round, soft, smooth surface. Young fruit green, mature fruit reddish-purple.
• Seeds round, membranous, grayish-white.

• Generatively with mature seeds.
• Vegetatively with air layering on stems that are neither too young nor too old, cuttings, and grafting.

Anthocyanin, polyphenol, flavonoid, triterpenoid, dihydroxybenzoic acid, alkaloid, saponin, tannin.

Lowers blood sugar levels, antihypertensive, antioxidant, antibiotic, antibacterial, remedy for diarrhea, irregular menstruation, slows signs of aging, cholesterol, protects the kidneys.

• Prepare ripe lobi-lobi fruit, wash with clean water and drain.
• Slice the fruit thinly then dry.
• Once dry, grind the fruit into powder form.
• Store the simplisia in a closed, airtight container.

Balakko (Batak), Lubi-lubi (Minangkabau), Tomi-tomi (Maluku), Tombi-tombi (Halmahera), Lake-lake (Central Java).