Gen info
- Pollia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Commelinaceae, first described in 1781. It is widespread throughout the Old World Tropics: Africa, southern Asia, northern Australia, etc.

Botany
• Stout erect herbs, stem 30-45 cm high. Leaves 30 x 10 cm, elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, cordate-acuminate, acute to rounded at base, puberulus when young, glabrescent when mature; petiole of lower leaves to 1.2 cm long and sheaths up to 3.5 cm long; upper leaves nearly sessile. Panicle to 12 x 8 cm. long peduncled; branches hairy. Flowers pedicelled. Sepals obovate. Petals white or pale pink, glabrous. Stamens 3, filaments naked; sterile anthers triangular. Ovary 3-celled, cells many ovuled. Fruits globose, blue; seeds 2-seriate, many. (eFloraOfIndia)

• Herbs perennial. Stems erect, to 20 cm × 7 mm, sparsely white-pubescent. Leaves sessile; leaf sheath ca. 2.5 cm, rather densely pubescent; leaf blade elliptic, ca. 20 × 5 cm, verrucose adaxially, densely puberulent abaxially. Inflorescence longer than distal leaves; proximal inflorescence branches with peduncle to more than 20 cm, densely brown-yellow hooked hirsute; cincinni numerous, ca. 2 cm, in whorls or not, densely brown-yellow hooked hirsute; proximal involucral bracts leaflike, nearly as large as leaves, distal ones much smaller, to 5 mm, densely brown-yellow hirsute; bracts membranous. Sepals ovate-orbicular, boat-shaped, ca. 3 mm, glabrous, persistent. Petals white, obovate, shallowly boat-shaped, ca. 5 mm. Stamens 6; fertile stamens 3, anterior; staminodes 3, with shorter filaments. Fruit globose, ca. 6 mm in diam. (Flora of China)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines. (1)
- Also native to Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, Cambodia, China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Hainan, India, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, Nansei-shoto, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam. (1)

Properties
- Understudied plant.

Parts used
Whole plant, stems, leaves.

Uses
Edibility
- No reports found on edibility of berry-like fruits.
Folkloric
- No reported medicinal use in the Philippines, (x)
- Used by the Mien (Yao) in norhtern Thailand for healthcare of postpartum women: as herbal baths and tonic, to eliminate waste matter, and improve blood flow. (4) Used in post-partum herbal baths.
- In Indonesia, leaves and stems applied to leg and stomach swelling. (5)
- In Laos, whole plant preparations used for back pain and fever.
Others
- Agroforestry: A natural ground cover in forest floors, contributing to rainwater regulation and flood control within watersheds. (EHP)

Studies
• No studies found.

Availability
- Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Pollia secundiflora / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(4)
Medicinal plants of the Mien (Yao) in Northern Thailand and their potential value in the primary healthcare of postpartum women / Kannika Panyaphu, Surapol Nathakarnkitkul et al / Journall of Ethnopharmacology, 2011; 135(2): pp 226-237 / DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.03.050

DOI: It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)