CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Oldenlandia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Rubiaceae
(Hutchinson, 1959). It consists of approximately 100 species (but estimate of up to 300 species
has also been made) and is distributed in all tropical and subtropical regions. The type species for
the genus is Oldenlandia corymbosa. Oldenlandia was named by Linnaeus in 1753 in Species
Plantarum. The name honours the Danish botanist, Henrik Benard Oldenland (Halford, 1992).
Some botanists have not recognized Oldenlandia, but have placed some or all of its
species in a broadly defined Hedyotis (Terrell, 1996). More recently, the circumscription of
Hedyotis has been narrowed to a monophyletic group of about 115 species and it no longer
includes Oldenlandia. The genus Oldenlandia, as now defined, is several times polyphyletic and
will eventually be reduced to a group of species closely related to the type species (Guo et al.,
2013).
Oldenlandia corymbosa is an annual herb with ascending or erect quadrangular stems;
leaves are acute at both ends, linear-oblong or narrowly elliptic, 1 – 3.5 cm long, 1.5 – 7 mm
wide, sub-sessile or petiole very short. Blade is pale beneath, midrib is prominent; flowers are
few and shorter than the leaves; flowers are white or faintly pinkish-purplish, on slender pedicels
4 – 8 mm long; calyx not exceeding ovary; corolla about 2 mm long; stamen inserted just above
the base of the tube; capsule is about 2 x 2 mm, exalate, flattened at apex, slightly laterally
compressed (Stone, 1996).
Oldenlandia affinis is a slender annual or a perennial herb; stem prostrate to weakly erect,
1 – 4 dm long, few-branches to many-branches, and glabrous. Leaves are narrowly oblong to
linear, 15 – 20 (30) mm long, 2 – 5 mm wide, apex acute, base cuneate, petiole ca.1 mm long,
stipules ca. 2.5 mm long, connate margin with several glandular teeth of unequal length.
Peduncles ca. 8 -10 (- 15) mm long; calyx 4-toothed, the teeth ca. 1 mm long; corolla lavender to
white, thin, broadly tubular, 4-lobed, ca. 2 mm long, the lobes are 1 – 2 mm long. Fruit is very
small, somewhat laterally compressed, thinly cartilaginous, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 2 – 2.5 mm
wide. Seeds are numerous per cell, angular, ca. 0.25 mm long, areolate (Wagner et al., 1999).
In Hawaii, O. corymbosa is naturalized in the vicinity of Hilo, and apparently recently
naturalized in Honolulu (Wagner et al., 1999). In New Guinea, it is a weed of the garden and
roadsides, and in natural situations; grassland, stream-sides, foreshores (Henty & Pritchard,
1975). It is propagated by seed and is native to tropical Africa, including Madagascar and India
(Stone, 1996).
Oldenlandia has a sweet gland to slightly bitter taste and is slightly cold. It clears heats
and toxins, activates blood circulation, removes blood stasis, promotes diuresis, and relieves
stranguria (urinary obstruction) (Ou et al., 1990). Extracts of Oldenlandia have been used
against various kinds of tumor, especially tumors of the digestive tract, lymphosarcoma,
carcinoma of the liver and larynx. It is used also against appendicitis, hepatitis, pneumonia,
cholexystitis, urinary infection, furunculosis, cellulites, and snake bite (Ou et al., 1990).
Recent laboratory studies of the action of Oldenlandia suggest that the herb may
contribute to inhibiting growth of cancer cells, promoting cancer cell death, and enhancing
immune attack against cancer cells. (Gupta et al., 2002). It remains unknown whether these
effects actually occur in people who consume the herb. As a preventive health care-agent,
Oldenlandia is understood to inhibit mutation of cells by carcinogens. As an immune regulating
herb, Oldenlandia remains of interest for use along with modern
Introduction
Oldenlandia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Rubiaceae
(Hutchinson, 1959). It consists of approximately 100 species (but estimate of up to 300 species
has also been made) and is distributed in all tropical and subtropical regions. The type species for
the genus is Oldenlandia corymbosa. Oldenlandia was named by Linnaeus in 1753 in Species
Plantarum. The name honours the Danish botanist, Henrik Benard Oldenland (Halford, 1992).
Some botanists have not recognized Oldenlandia, but have placed some or all of its
species in a broadly defined Hedyotis (Terrell, 1996). More recently, the circumscription of
Hedyotis has been narrowed to a monophyletic group of about 115 species and it no longer
includes Oldenlandia. The genus Oldenlandia, as now defined, is several times polyphyletic and
will eventually be reduced to a group of species closely related to the type species (Guo et al.,
2013).
Oldenlandia corymbosa is an annual herb with ascending or erect quadrangular stems;
leaves are acute at both ends, linear-oblong or narrowly elliptic, 1 – 3.5 cm long, 1.5 – 7 mm
wide, sub-sessile or petiole very short. Blade is pale beneath, midrib is prominent; flowers are
few and shorter than the leaves; flowers are white or faintly pinkish-purplish, on slender pedicels
4 – 8 mm long; calyx not exceeding ovary; corolla about 2 mm long; stamen inserted just above
the base of the tube; capsule is about 2 x 2 mm, exalate, flattened at apex, slightly laterally
compressed (Stone, 1996).
Oldenlandia affinis is a slender annual or a perennial herb; stem prostrate to weakly erect,
1 – 4 dm long, few-branches to many-branches, and glabrous. Leaves are narrowly oblong to
linear, 15 – 20 (30) mm long, 2 – 5 mm wide, apex acute, base cuneate, petiole ca.1 mm long,
stipules ca. 2.5 mm long, connate margin with several glandular teeth of unequal length.
Peduncles ca. 8 -10 (- 15) mm long; calyx 4-toothed, the teeth ca. 1 mm long; corolla lavender to
white, thin, broadly tubular, 4-lobed, ca. 2 mm long, the lobes are 1 – 2 mm long. Fruit is very
small, somewhat laterally compressed, thinly cartilaginous, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 2 – 2.5 mm
wide. Seeds are numerous per cell, angular, ca. 0.25 mm long, areolate (Wagner et al., 1999).
In Hawaii, O. corymbosa is naturalized in the vicinity of Hilo, and apparently recently
naturalized in Honolulu (Wagner et al., 1999). In New Guinea, it is a weed of the garden and
roadsides, and in natural situations; grassland, stream-sides, foreshores (Henty & Pritchard,
1975). It is propagated by seed and is native to tropical Africa, including Madagascar and India
(Stone, 1996).
Oldenlandia has a sweet gland to slightly bitter taste and is slightly cold. It clears heats
and toxins, activates blood circulation, removes blood stasis, promotes diuresis, and relieves
stranguria (urinary obstruction) (Ou et al., 1990). Extracts of Oldenlandia have been used
against various kinds of tumor, especially tumors of the digestive tract, lymphosarcoma,
carcinoma of the liver and larynx. It is used also against appendicitis, hepatitis, pneumonia,
cholexystitis, urinary infection, furunculosis, cellulites, and snake bite (Ou et al., 1990).
Recent laboratory studies of the action of Oldenlandia suggest that the herb may
contribute to inhibiting growth of cancer cells, promoting cancer cell death, and enhancing
immune attack against cancer cells. (Gupta et al., 2002). It remains unknown whether these
effects actually occur in people who consume the herb. As a preventive health care-agent,
Oldenlandia is understood to inhibit mutation of cells by carcinogens. As an immune regulating
herb, Oldenlandia remains of interest for use along with modern
