Description

Climbing Aroid is a climbing tropical forest plant in the family Araceae. It is the type species of the genus pothos.  Climbing Aroid is a climbing shrub having adventitious aerial roots. The internodes of the plant are 1.3-2.5 cms and its leaves are very variable. The leaves are obovate, elliptic or lanceshaped and leathery, bright green in color. The leaf tip is acute or long-pointed, with wedge-shaped or rounded base. The leaf-stalks are interesting. They are semi-stem-clasping and broadly winged. Leaves are 2.5-7.5 cm long and 0.6-1.7 cm wide at the base. The green Spathe is 0.4-0.7 cm long, ovate and erect, with cuspidate apex. The stipe of the plant is deflexed, to 0.6 cm long and the spadix is yellow, with an approximate length of 0.5 cm. The spadix is globose, ovoid or shortly oblong. The fruits or berries of the plant are oblong and 1.3-1.7 cm long and they are scarlet when ripe. The plant is mainly a native to the Indo-Malaysian region and Madagascar. However, it is commonly found on rocks, walls and tree trunks in moist and wet forests in northeastern, central and southern India. The plant is found in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well. In Malayalam Parivalli, Paruval and Paruvakkodi are all creeping plants that take root and climb trees and rocks. (Scientific name: Pothos scandens). Elephants are found in many parts of the world. It is found at altitudes up to 2100 m. In some parts of China, it is used as a substitute for tea. Elephants are also found in the Andamans. It is found from India to Malaysia and Madagascar.

Characteristics:

Leaves bright to deepgreen adaxially, paler abaxially, drying dull green to brownish; petiole 2-14 × 0.5-2 cm, lamina-like, obovate-oblong to linear-oblong, base decurrent, apex truncate, rounded or auriculate; blade 2-10 × 3-14 cm, ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, base rounded to acute, apex attenuate-mucronate; primary lateral veins arising at 20-45°, intramarginal veins 2 per side. INFLORESCENCE solitary in the axils of middle and distal leaves, borne on condensed shoots bearing a minute prophyll and a few 3-10 mm long (sequentially longer) cataphylls; peduncle 3-15 × 0.5-2 mm, slender, erect to spreading, green to purple-tinged. Spathe 4-8 × 4-7 mm, ovate, concave, margins variously inrolled, base short or somewhat long-clawed, apex rounded to acute with a tiny rather stout mucro, greenish to maroon.

Medicinal Uses:

Climbing Aroid is a medicinal aroid, which belongs to the family Araceae. The bruised root of the plant is applied to promote healing of abscesses, after being fried in oil. The Indian people use an infusion of the leaves of this plant as a bath for curing convulsions and epilepsy.