Pecut kuda or blue porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) is a species of plant in Verbenaceae, 1-3 meters high, woody stems although small, tapering roots, the entire surface of the stem is brown and dark green with green leaves and blue flowers.
S. jamaicensis has leaves 1-4.5 inches wide and up to 2.5 inches long, light green all year round in all seasons but turning dark green when exposed to sunlight all day. The leaves are round or oval with small serrated edges arranged opposite the main stem.
The inflorescences are purple or bluish-purple, the petals located on the stalk are green and scaly. Each stalk consists of several flowers that are clustered along a line.
Flowers are 0.3 inches wide, crown consisting of 5 petals or odd. Bud along the stalk, then begin to bloom sequentially from the bottom of the stalk to the top of the stalk. The flower only lasts a day, then it is replaced by another bud at the top.
This plant grows in roadsides, untreated gardens, meadows, open areas that receive sunlight and generally thrives on sandy soils at elevations of up to 700 meters.
This plant contains alkaloids and glycos to treat tonsillitis, sore throat, cough and Hepatitis A. Traditional medicine uses this plant to treat infections, urinary stones, rheumatism, irregular menstruation and vaginal discharge.
Flowers, roots and leaves are often used to treat bladder infections, rheumatism, irregular menstruation and vaginal discharge. Flowers and stalks to treat hepatitis A. Leucorrhoea which is often experienced by women is overcome by using boiled root water. Plants can also be used as ornamental plants because they flower all year round.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Verbenaceae
Tribe: Duranteae
Genus: Stachytarpheta Vahl in Enum. Pl. Obs. 1: 205 (1804)
Species: Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl in Enum. Pl. Obs. 1: 206 (1804)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Abena jamaicensis (L.) Hitchc. in Rep. (Annual) Missouri Bot. Gard. 4: 117 (1893)
Cymburus urticifolius Salisb. in Parad. Lond. 1: t. 53 (1806)
Stachytarpheta indica var. jamaicensis (L.) Razi in Half-Yearly J. Mysore Univ., N.S., B 7(4): 63 (1946)
Valerianoides jamaicensis (L.) Medik. in Philos. Bot. 1: 178 (1789)
Verbena jamaicensis L. in Sp. Pl.: 19 (1753)
Vermicularia decurrens Moench in Suppl. Meth.: 150 (1802)
Zappania jamaicensis (L.) Lam. in Tabl. Encycl. 1: 59 (1791)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Stachytarpheta bogoriensis Zoll. & Moritzi in A.Moritzi, Syst. Verz. Java: 52 (1846)
Stachytarpheta indica f. monstrosa Moldenke in Phytologia 1: 433 (1940)
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis f. albiflora S.S.Ying in Coloured Ill. Fl. Taiwan 6: 609 (1998)
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis f. atrocoerulea Moldenke in Phytologia 34: 246 (1976)
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis var. longifolia Hiern in Vidensk. Meddel. Naturhist. Foren. Kjøbenhavn 1877: 101 (1877)
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis f. monstrosa Moldenke (1940)
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis f. monstrosa (Moldenke) Moldenke in Phytologia 2: 416 (1948)
Stachytarpheta pilosiuscula Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 2: 279 (1818)
Valerianoides jamaicensis var. angustifolia Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 510 (1891)
Valerianoides jamaicensis f. glabra Kuntze (1891)
Valerianoides jamaicensis var. spathulata Kuntze (1891)
Valerianoides jamaicensis f. strigosa Kuntze (1891)
Verbena americana Mill. in Gard. Dict., ed. 8.: n.° 10 (1768)
Verbena pilosiuscula (Kunth) Endl. in Cat. Horti Vindob. 2: 46 (1842)
PUBLICATIONS
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VERNACULAR NAME
Arabic: بورترويد الأزرق
Australia: Snakeweed
Bengali: ঘোড়ার চাবুক - কুকরিজাদ - কারিয়ার তারানি Ghōṛāra cābuka, Kukarijāda, Kāriẏāra tārāni
Burmese: မြင်းကြာပွတ်
Chinese (Simplified): 假马鞭
Chinese (Traditional): 假馬鞭 - 假敗醬 - 長穗木 - 牙買加長穗木
East Java: Gajihan
English: Blue Porterweed, Jamaica Snakeweed, joee, Snakeweed
Filipino: Latigo ng kabayo
French: Verveine bleue, Épi bleu, Queue-de-rat
Hawaiian: oi
Hebrew: פורטרוויד כחול
Hindi: घोड़े का चाबुक - कुकरीजाद - करियार तरणी Ghode ka chaabuk, Kukrijad, Kariyar tarani
Indonesian: Jarong, Pecut Kuda
Japanese: フトボナガボソウ - インドナガボソウ
Java: Pecut jaran, Ngadi rengga
Kannada: Kari uttaraani, Kaadu uttaraani
Khmer: រំពាត់សេះ
Korean: 블루 포터위드
Lao: ແສ້ມ້າ
Madura: Jarong
Malayalam: Kattupunnuthu, Narivalan, Seemakongini
Malaysia: Cemeti kuda
Maya: talché
Nepali: घोडाको कोर्रा - कुक्रिजाद - करियार तरानी Ghōḍākō kōrrā, Kukrijāda,
Kariyara tarānī
Oria: Jalajali, Jatiya, Koraputia
Palauan: louchelbeluu
Russian: Стахитарфета ямайская
Sinhala: අශ්ව කසය - සීමායි නයුරුවි Aśva kasaya, Sīmāyi nayuruvi
Spanish: Hoja de corrimiento, Gavilancillo, Rabo de gato
Tamil: குதிரைச் சாட்டை - சீமை நயுருவி Kutiraic cāṭṭai, Seemai nayuruvi
Telugu: Nalladutcheri chettu, Medabalaku, Ceema nayurur
Thai: พันงูเขียว
Vietnam: Roi ngựa
Aryo Bandoro
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