common derris (derris trifoliata): info fact sheet, photos

Sitemap

List of birds
on this site

List of plants
on this site

List of animals
on this site

My homepage

Common Derris
Derris trifoliata
Akar Tuba (Malay)
flowering patch

It is the only common climber that grows in mangroves.
climbing habit

With delicate white flowers, when Common Derris blooms in the Park, it can be as pretty as bridal decorations!

Uses: The leaves contain the chemical compound rotenone, a poison that kills a wide range of creatures from insects to earthworms and fish. Derris trifoliata and another species, D. elliptica, are used to produce rotenone in commercial quantities as an insecticide. Locals use crushed leaves to stun or kill fish and shrimp which are then easily collected. This method of fishing, however, is prohibited in many areas because it is so destructive.

Mangrove and wetland wildlife at
Sungei Buloh Nature Park

Main features: Mangrove associate. A creeper with woody stems that thicken. Leaves: Compound leaves of 3-5, dark green shiny. Flowers: White in racemes. Fruits: 1-3 seeds in flat oval pods which are green at first, turning brown when they ripen. Status in Singapore: Common in mangroves. World distribution: Tropics of the Old World from East Africa to Australia, Polynesia and even subtropical Asia.


Classification: Family Leguminosae. World 1 mangrove associated species.

Derris is also one of the components of poison-arrow. The plant is also used to produce cordage.

choke marks on tree

Role in the habitat: Like other climbers, Common Derris provides shelter for the smaller creatures of the mangroves. The plants also form an interlocking framework among trees for added strength against coastal storms.

An aggressive plant, Common Derris can form deep "choke" marks on its host tree (see right). But eventually, the host trees usually prevail, breaking the vines. Thus Common Derris doesn't "strangle" its host.

LINKS

Plants of Guam by Philip H. Moore and Patrick D. McMakin on the University of Guam website: brief fact sheet on Derris trifoliata with photo.
from the Manual on Some Philippine Medicinal Plants (1977) by the U.P. Botanical Society: Swellings and pains due to sprains (powdered material heated with alcohol applied as poultice); roots and stems may be used to kill maggots.
Alternatives to Synthetic Chemical Insecticides for Use in Crucifer Crops Nancy M. Endersby and Wendy C. Morgan Institute of Plant Sciences, Department of Agriculture, McGill University:
Halophyte DataBase, Salt-Tolerant Plants and Their Uses by N P Yensen: uses of Derris.

REFERENCES

To buy these references & others, visit
Nature's Niche

Peter K L Ng and N Sivasothi, "A Guide to the Mangroves of Singapore I: The Ecosystem and Plant Diversity", Singapore Science Centre, 1999 (p. 108: description, habit, photo).
Tony Whitten and Jane Whitten (ed.), "Indonesian Heritage: Plants", Plants used as Medicine by Trond Schumacher, Editions Didier Millet, 1996 (p. 69: uses).

By Ria Tan, 2001