Gmelina philippensis Cham.

Wareng bintang (Gmelina philippensis) is a climbing shrub 3-8 meters tall from the Lamiaceae family that originates from the Philippines, India, and Southeast Asia, popular as a bonsai plant. Its unique lantern-like fruit shape makes it a favorite ornamental. In the Malay Peninsula, wareng bintang is traditionally used to address coughs and repel leeches.

Wareng bintang grows in open habitats, gaps, edges, thickets, and secondary forests. Sometimes, it grows on swamp edges and joins with other shrub tree species. This plant prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soil, with soil acidity (pH) slightly acidic to neutral (6.1-7.3). In the wild it is often found on clay soil texture. Its growth succeeds in full sun or partial shade.

• Roots taproot.
• Stem round, thorny, bark yellowish-brown, main branches branching.
• Leaves have a thin, rough blade, leaf shape varying from ovate to elliptical or duck-foot-like, leaf margin smooth or deeply toothed to slightly lobed. Leaf base wedge-shaped (cuneate), leaf tip blunt (obtuse), subacute or wedge-shaped (cuneate). Upper surface green, hairless, and glossy while the lower surface is pale green, glaucous (waxy leaf).
• Flowers pendulous, 5-8 cm long, arranged in a pendant-like chain structure with pointed and overlapping red bracts. The flowers resemble a parrot's beak. Has a 4-lobed corolla, 1 lobe larger, pointed tip or beak-shaped from the other 3 lobes, yellow, narrowing tubular corolla. Stamens numbering 4, filaments filiform, anthers oblong.
• Fruit fleshy, smooth, yellow, drop-shaped or pear-like, and 3 cm long.
• Seeds numbering 1 in each fruit.

Propagation generatively using seeds.

6 iridoids (6-O-α-L-(2″-O-, 3″-O-, 4″-O-tribenzoyl)rhamnopyranosylcatalpol, 6-O-α-L-(2″-O-, 3″-O-dibenzoyl, 4″-O-cis-p-coumaroyl)rhamnopyranosylcatalpol, 6-O-α-L-(2″-O-, 3″-O-dibenzoyl, 4″-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)rhamnopyranosylcatalpol, 6-O-α-L-(2″-O-benzoyl, 3″-O-trans-p-coumaroyl)rhamnopyranosylcatalpol, 6-O-α-L-(2″-O-, 3″-O-dibenzoyl)rhamnopyranosylcatalpol, gmephiloside), five monoacyl and diacyl rhamnopyranosylcatalpol derivatives.

Treats coughs, foot eczema, laxative and fatigue remedy, an internal remedy as a stimulant, solvent, and used in treating joint and nerve diseases, has antioxidant activity.

No information found. Further research needed.