Thunbergia alata Bojer ex Sims

Mata susan (Thunbergia alata) is a vine up to 5 meters long from the Acanthaceae family that originates from tropical Africa, now considered an invasive weed in many tropical regions. Its attractive flowers make it a popular ornamental plant as well as a ground cover. In India, fresh root extract is traditionally used as a health tonic and aphrodisiac.

Mata susan grows as a weed commonly found along riverbanks, forest edges, plantations, roadsides, and disturbed humid areas in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions from lowlands up to 900 m asl. It grows best in sunny locations, prefers well-drained soil, and thrives with an average annual rainfall of 600-2,500 mm and temperatures ranging from 10-30 °C.

• Roots taproot.
• Stem cylindrical, slender, pubescent.
• Leaves heart-shaped or arrow-ovate, smooth or serrated margins, covered with fine hairs, oppositely arranged, tapering tip. Upper surface dark green, dull, pubescent (short, soft hairs). Lower surface pale green, dull, with prominent veins.
• Flowers yellow to orange, with 5 square to oblong petals, narrowing at the base. Petal tips truncate, with a curved indentation in the middle. The inside of the flower tube is lined with purplish-black or dark maroon color. Calyx yellowish-green. Appears singly in the leaf axils. Flower stalk pubescent.
• Fruit round, but with a long, pointed beak.
• Seeds semicircular, 1.2-1.5 mm long, each fruit contains 2-4 seeds.

Propagation is done generatively (seeds) and vegetatively (stem and root cuttings).

Saponins, steroids, phenolic compounds (caffeoylmalic acid, feruloylmalic acid, p-coumaroylmalic acid), iridoid glucosides (thunaloside and alatoside), stilbericoside, 6-epi-stilbericoside, and thunbergioside.

Health tonic, skin problems, back and joint pain, eye inflammation, hemorrhoids, rectal cancer, treats headaches, boils, treats snake bites, has aphrodisiac and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties.

Patuk manuk (Java).