Tree Turmeric

Coscinium fenestratum, called tree turmeric, yellow vine, false calumba or Colombo weed, is a flowering woody climber native to South Asia and mainland Southeast Asia. It is a member of the Menispermaceae family and has leathery, shiny leaves and bright yellow sap. The plant is dioecious, flowers and fruits from August to October, and bears one or two drupes up to two centimetres across. It prefers dense evergreen forest with fertile, moist soil, and has a generation span of twenty-five years. The page says it has a long history in the traditional medicine of the region, including Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicine, Sinhala medicine and Khmer healing traditions. Its main bioactive compound is berberine. The page says rising demand has decimated its natural distribution, so it is rare and critically endangered in many habitats, and it is illegal to export it from India.