Mountain ginkgo, Small-leaved jointfir
Gnetum parvifolium

Family: Gnetaceae

What it is like

A coarse woody vine which grows up to 12 m long. It is usually thin and weak. The bark is pale or greyish brown. A coarse woody vine with large opposite leaves. The leaf stalk is 5-8 (-10) mm long and the leaf blade is like a narrow ellipse, or oval. The leaves are pointed at the tip and rounded at the base. They are 10 to 22 cm long by 2-5 cm wide. The leaves are leathery with 5-8 (-11) lateral veins on each side. Male flower stalks are simple or once branched. There are 40-70 flowers on a collar and there are 5-10 collars on a flower stalk. There are also some infertile female flowers. The female flower stalk is on old branches and branches once. These flower groups are 10-15 cm long. The fruit occurs in rings. The fruit are red, long and oval. They only have very short stalks. They can be 3 cm long and 1 cm wide. The seeds are black. Each fruit contains a single nut.

It is also used in medicine. There are about 28 Gnetum species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. They occur in forests between 100 and 1,000 m altitude in China and Vietnam. They are common and widely distributed in the forests of the Philippines. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, China, Indochina, Laos, Macao, Myanmar, Pacific, Philippines, SE Asia, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The seeds yield edible oil. The kernels are eaten boiled or fried.

Edible parts

Seeds, seeds - oil, nuts, fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from stem cuttings.

Its other names

Local names

Koliat, Kuliat, Laiqguqlaigni, Xiao ye mai ma teng, Yaossaqjaiq

Synonyms

Abutua indica Lour.; Gnemon indica (Lour.) Kuntze; Gnetum indicum (Lour.) Merr.; Gnetum indicum (Loureiro) Merrill f. parvifolium (Warburg) Masamune; Gnetum montanum Markgraf f. parvifolium (Warburg) Markgraf; Gnetum scandens Roxburgh var. parvifolium Warburg;