Merremia

Decalobanthus peltatus is native to Tanzania, West Indian Ocean, Tropical Asia to Pacific. A very fast-growing plant, it has been introduced into many areas as an ornamental. The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine, food and source of materials. In Indonesia, the leaves are often used for washing hair, as they are cooling, improve growth and prevent hair loss. The stem is sometimes used for tying purposes.

Niaouli oelbaum (German), Pohue (French Polynesian), Akar ulan (Malaysia), Palai (Papua New Guinea), Bulakan (Tagalog-Philippines), Yaan len (Thailand), Fue lautetele (Samoan), Fue mea (Tongan), Veliyana (Fijian).

A plant of the humid tropics, favouring the edges of primary and secondary lowland rainforest, thickets and plantations, from sea level up to 700 m. Prefers a rich, moist soil and a moderately to very sunny position. It can invade local ecosystems, climbing into and smothering the vegetation. Since it requires full sunlight, minimizing disturbance will inhibit growth.

• Tuber - a large subterranean tuber.
• Stems - woody, terrete,5 or more cm thick, milky juice and porous.
• Leaves - alternate, smooth, somewhat rounded, about 20 cm wide, those toward the ends of the branchlets being much smaller, heart-shaped at the base, pointed at the tip. Peduncle grows solitary from each of the upper leaf axils, erect and longer than the leaves.
• Flowers - large, golden-yellow, few to many, or c ustered. Sepals are smooth, thick, oblong, 2 cm long. Corolla has a wide limb, broadly funnel-shaped, 4.5-6 cm long, shallowly lobed, white, sometimes yellow, corolla inside above the insertion of filaments with a semi-circular thickening, filaments dilated and hairy in lower part, anthers spirally twisted, hairy.
• Fruit - capsule ovoid.
• Seed - densely yellowish to dark brown, tomentose.

Generative propagation is by seed, and vegetative propagation is by root cutting.

Terpenoid, steroid, saponin, alkaloids, flavonoids, and phenolic compound.

• In Indonesia and Fiji, diluted sap from the young stems is used as eye or ear drops. In the Philippines and Papua New Guinea, sap from the stem is purgative, and a remedy for cough, diarrhoea and worms. 
• Sap from the stem is considered to be anthelmintic and laxative.
• The leaves are applied as a maturative for inflammation of the breasts. In Fiji, a drink made from the juice of the leaves is reputed to be taken for the treatment of hernia, and the heated leaves are applied as a poultice.
• Studies have suggest antibacterial, and cytotoxic activities.

• Siapkan daun matangan segar secukupnya lalu cuci dengan air bersih.
• Setelah bersih, tiriskan agar sisa air cucian terbuang.
• Keringkan dengan cara diangin-anginkan pada tempat yang terlindung dari sinar matahari. 
• Simpan dalam wadah bersih dan kedap udara.