Urena lobata
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643ffa35f17a0386846474 |
| Scientific name | Urena lobata |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 692 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Traditional preparations of Urena lobata are most often made as simple infusions and decoctions of the leaves and younger shoots. Among the Bantu-speaking communities of Tanzania, a leaf infusion is used to ease cough and to support digestion (Khalid et al., 2013). On Hainan Island, a decoction of whole young plants or leaves is taken for “cough due to wind-heat” (Flora of China, 2008), while in Taiwan, the leaves are stewed and drunk as an antipyretic to reduce fever (Materials for the Flora of Taiwan, 1993). Across these regions, the preparation differs mainly by timing: short infusions for general expectorant use and longer, stronger decoctions for fever management.
A practical, easy method is to make a mild leaf tea. Measure roughly 5–8 g of fresh young leaves and shoots, rinse, and place in a teapot or saucepan with 250 ml of just-boiled water. Cover and let steep for 10–12 minutes, then strain. Drink 1–2 cups per day. For a stronger decoction, add the same amount of plant material to 300 ml of water, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer for 10–15 minutes; cool and strain. When decotions are used for fever, take one cup up to twice daily. As with other medicinal teas, limit use to short courses and discontinue if irritation occurs. If you are pregnant, have a bleeding disorder, or are taking anticoagulant or antidiabetic medications, consult a qualified health professional before regular use (Khalid et al., 2013; Sarah et al., 2019).
The leaves contain flavonoids, mucilage, and saponins that plausibly underlie the cough‑soothing and digestive properties of the infusions and decoctions (Vassallo et al., 2007; Flora of China, 2008; Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2010). These constituents can soothe irritated mucosa and support expectoration, and mucilage may help with gentle demulcent effects in the stomach lining.
Research on Urena lobata remains focused on confirming traditional indications and characterizing phytochemistry rather than leading to widespread commercial products. In parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia the leaf infusions continue to be used at home for coughs and fevers (Pharmacognosy Magazine, 2017).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Bast fiber (raw, slivers, yarn) used in rope, twine, sacks, bags, and woven mats.
- Unbleached paper pulp processed from the stem bark.
Industrial and craft applications:
- Textile fabrics and mats produced by spinning the bast fibers into yarn and weaving them.
- Natural‑fiber‑reinforced polymer (NFRP) composites where Urena lobata fibers act as reinforcement.
- Kraft pulp for writing paper and newsprint; the low lignin content of the fiber yields high pulp yields and good brightness.
Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
- Young leaves are harvested and cooked as a leafy vegetable in parts of West Africa, used in soups, stews, or boiled as greens; they are processed by washing, chopping, and sautéing.
Wood and fiber:
- The shrub does not produce timber; the stem is harvested for its bast fiber, which is separated by retting and mechanical beating for use in rope, textiles, and pulp.
Properties relevant to use:
- Bast fiber composition: cellulose ~68–72 %, hemicellulose ~12–15 %, lignin ~7–10 %; the low lignin level facilitates efficient chemical pulping.
- Fiber length 1–2.5 mm with tensile strength 400–600 MPa and moisture regain ~10–12 %, providing durability and good spinability.
- Fresh leaves contain about 2–3 g protein, 1–2 g fiber, and minerals such as iron and calcium per 100 g, making them suitable for culinary use.
Standards and regulation:
- Urena lobata fiber is classified as a bast fiber in the FAO/International Trade Centre natural‑fiber taxonomy.
- Pulp produced from the fiber complies with ISO 2470 (pulp brightness) and ISO 20645 (color‑fastness to washing) for paper quality.
- The leaves as a food are regulated under national food‑safety codes that govern leafy‑green vegetables (e.g., Codex Alimentarius for fresh leafy greens).
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Cultivated as a fast‑growing annual or short‑term perennial in tropical and subtropical regions (Southeast Asia, West Africa, South America); it tolerates marginal soils and provides ground cover, reducing erosion.
- The crop requires minimal fertilizer and can be harvested two to three times per year, supporting smallholder livelihoods.
- Fiber extraction by manual retting and simple mechanical beating uses low energy and limited chemicals, offering a lower environmental impact compared with synthetic fibers.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Urena cana | Wall. | Numer. List : n.º 1930 B (1829) |
| Urena callifera | C.B.Clarke | J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 25: 7 (1889) |
| Urena blumei | Hassk. | Tijdschr. Natuurl. Gesch. Physiol. 12: 78 (1845) |
| Urena americana | L. | Pl. Surin. 11 1775 |
| Urena aculeata | Mill. | Gard. Dict. ed. 8 : n.º 2 (1768) |
| Urena microcarpa | DC. | Prodr. 1: 442 (1824) |
| Urena mauritiana | Sieber ex Colla | Hortus Ripul. : 142 (1824) |
| Urena loureiroi | Meisn. ex Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 2: 732 (1841) |
| Urena grandiflora | ex DC. | Prodr. 1: 442 (1824) |
| Urena haenkeana | Walp. | Repert. Bot. Syst. 1: 297 (1842) |
| Urena heteromorpha | Montrouz. | Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. Lyon, Sect. Sci. , sér. 2, 10: 180 (1860) |
| Urena ribesia | Sm. | Cycl. 37: n.º 5 (1818) |
| Urena sieberi | Colla | Hortus Ripul. : 142 (1824) |
| Urena obtusata | Guill. & Perr. | Fl. Seneg. Tent. : 48 (1831) |
| Urena phyllomorpha | Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 2: 732 (1841) |
| Urena swartzii | DC. | Prodr. 1: 442 (1824) |
| Urena virgata | Guill. & Perr. | Fl. Seneg. Tent. : 48 (1831) |
| Urena viminea | Cav. | Diss. 6: 335 (1788) |
| Urena lobata var. americana | Gürke | Fl. Bras. 12(3): 471 (1892) |
| Malachra urena | DC. | Prodr. 1: 441 (1824) |
| Urena reticulata | Cav. | Diss. 6: 335 (1788) |
| Urena americana | L.f. | Pl. Surin. : 11 (1775) |
| Urena monopetala | Lour. | Fl. Cochinch. : 418 (1790) |
| Urena diversifolia | Schumach. & Thonn. | Beskr. Guin. Pl. : 308 (1827) |
| Urena lobata var. tomentosa | (Blume) Walp. | Nova Acta Acad. Caes. Leop.-Carol. German. Nat. Cur. 19: 304 1843 |
| Urena tomentosa | Blume | Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind. : 65 (1825) |
| Urena trilobata | Vell. | Fl. Flumin. 7: 269 (1829) |
| Urena lobata var. trilobata | Gürke | Fl. Bras. 12(3): 471 (1892) |
| Urena lobata f. swartzii | Hochr. | Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève 5: 141 (1901) |
| Urena lobata var. viminea | Gürke | Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 16: 375 (1892) |
| Urena lobata var. genuina | Miq. |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | congo jute |
| English | common purple mallow |
| English | caesarweed |
| ace | beurunyong |
| Bengali | বনওকড়া |
| dag | pieɣu nyemari |
| German | urenafaser |
| German | kongojute |
| Hausa | jan tsu |
| ht | gran kouzen |
| Indonesian | pulutan |
| mad | polot |
| Malayalam | ഊർപണം |
| Malay | pepulut lembu |
| Malay | pepulut |
| Malay | pokok pepulut lembu |
| Burmese | နွားမြီးကပ် |
| Portuguese | aguaxima |
| pwn | puluc |
| Thai | ขี้ครอก |
| Chinese | 地桃花(肖梵天花) |
| Chinese | 肖梵天花 |
| Chinese | 地桃花 |
| Chinese | 地挑花 |
| Chinese | 头婆 |
| Chinese | 野棉花 |
| Chinese | 千下槌 |
| Chinese | 厚皮草 |
| Chinese | 半边月 |
| Chinese | 大叶马松子 |
| Chinese | 马桩 |
| Chinese | 野鸡花 |
| Chinese | 迷 |
| Chinese | 红孩儿 |
| Chinese | 粘油子 |
| Chinese | 石松毛 |
| Chinese | 田芙蓉 |
| Chinese | 牛毛七 |
| Chinese | 毛桐子 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Urena lobata subsp. lobata | ||
| Urena lobata subsp. sinuata | (L.) Borss.Waalk. | Blumea 14: 142 (1966) |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Urena lobata var. glauca | (Blume) Borss.Waalk. | Blumea 14: 144. 1966 (1966) |
| Urena lobata var. mauritiana | Marais | Kew Bull. 38: 44 (1983) |
| Urena lobata var. umbonata | Marais | Kew Bull. 38: 44 (1983) |
| Urena lobata var. henryi | S.Y.Hu | Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 153: 75. 1955 (1955) |
| Urena lobata var. multifida | (Cav.) Hochr. | Annuaire Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève 5: 140 (1901) |
| Urena lobata var. tricuspis | Gürke | Fl. Bras. (Martius) 12(3): 472. 1892 [15 Apr 1892] |
| Urena lobata var. yunnanensis | S.Y.Hu | Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 153: 77. 1955 (1955) |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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East Tropical Africa
- Kenya
- Tanzania
- Uganda
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Macaronesia
- Cape Verde
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Middle Atlantic Ocean
- Ascension
- Saint Helena
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Northeast Tropical Africa
- Chad
- Ethiopia
- Sudan
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South Tropical Africa
- Angola
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
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Southern Africa
- Namibia
- Northern Provinces
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West Tropical Africa
- Benin
- Burkina
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
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West-central Tropical Africa
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Congo
- Gabon
- Gulf Of Guinea Islands
- Rwanda
- Zaïre
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Western Indian Ocean
- Comoros
- Madagascar
- Mauritius
- Rodrigues
- Réunion
- Seychelles
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East Tropical Africa
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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China
- China South-central
- China Southeast
- Hainan
- Tibet
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Eastern Asia
- Japan
- Nansei-shoto
- Taiwan
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China
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- East Himalaya
- India
- Laccadive Islands
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- West Himalaya
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Indo-China
- Andaman Islands
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Myanmar
- Nicobar Nicobar
- Thailand
- Vietnam
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Malesia
- Christmas Island
- Jawa
- Lesser Sunda Islands
- Malaya
- Philippines
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Papuasia
- Solomon Islands
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Indian Subcontinent
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Northern America click to expand
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Mexico
- Mexico Central
- Mexico Gulf
- Mexico Southeast
- Mexico Southwest
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Alabama
- Florida
- Louisiana
- South Carolina
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Mexico
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Pacific click to expand
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North-central Pacific
- Hawaii
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Northwestern Pacific
- Caroline Islands
- Marianas
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South-central Pacific
- Cook Islands
- Marquesas
- Society Islands
- Tuamotu
- Tubuai Islands
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Southwestern Pacific
- Fiji
- New Caledonia
- Niue
- Samoa
- Tonga
- Vanuatu
- Wallis-Futuna Islands
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North-central Pacific
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Southern America click to expand
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Brazil
- Brazil North
- Brazil Northeast
- Brazil South
- Brazil Southeast
- Brazil West-central
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Caribbean
- Bahamas
- Cayman Islands
- Cuba
- Dominican Republic
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Leeward Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Trinidad-Tobago
- Venezuelan Antilles
- Windward Islands
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Central America
- Belize
- Central American Pacific
- Costa Rica
- El Salvador
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Panamá
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Northern South America
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Suriname
- Venezuela
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Southern South America
- Paraguay
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Western South America
- Bolivia
- Colombia
- Galápagos
- Peru
-
Brazil
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000417231 |
| UNII | 75C1N61MBG |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 1364 |
| Flora of Alabama | 5610 |
| USDA Plants | URLO |
| Tropicos | 19600119 |
| INPN | 447317 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:564786-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2449399 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 485925 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 263848 |
| Nature Serve | 2.157221 |
| IUCN Red List | 136663001 |
| IPNI | 564786-1 |
| iNaturalist | 127638 |
| GBIF | 3152253 |
| Freebase | /m/0hn86y6 |
| EPPO | URNLO |
| EOL | 584448 |
| USDA GRIN | 40900 |
| Wikipedia | Urena_lobata |
| CMAUP | NPO29504 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||||
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| Era of bast fibers-based polymer composites for replacement of man-made fibers | Santos CM, Santos TF, Aquino MS, Mavinkere Rangappa S, Siengchin S, Suyambulingam I | Heliyon | 17-Apr-2024 |
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| Preparation and characterization of handsheet using cellulose based Agri-weed: A sustainable utilization of Urena Lobata fiber | Rahman S, Hasan K, Repon MR, Haque MM | Heliyon | 04-Apr-2024 |
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| The paradox of plant preference: The malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii select suboptimal food sources for their survival and reproduction | Paré PS, Hien DF, Youba M, Yerbanga RS, Cohuet A, Gouagna L, Diabaté A, Ignell R, Dabiré RK, Gnankiné O, Lefèvre T | Ecol Evol | 25-Mar-2024 |
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| Pest categorisation of Pyrrhoderma noxium | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Golic D, Gobbi A, Maiorano A, Pautasso M, Reignault PL | EFSA J | 19-Mar-2024 |
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| Evaluation of packaging, labels, and some physicochemical properties of herbal antimalarial products on the Ghanaian market | Amekyeh H, Kumadoh D, Adongo DW, Orman E, Abubakar S, Dwamena A, Aggrey MO | Heliyon | 28-Feb-2024 |
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| Amazonian useful plants described in the book “Le Pays des Amazones” (1885) of the Brazilian propagandist Baron de Santa-Anna Nery: a historical and ethnobotanical perspective | Silva LN, Oliveira EC, Baratto LC | J Ethnobiol Ethnomed | 26-Feb-2024 |
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| Soil seed bank dynamics of two invasive alien plants in Nigeria: implications for ecosystem restoration | Akomolafe GF, Rosazlina R, Omomoh B | AoB Plants | 20-Jan-2024 |
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| Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the people of Mosop, Nandi County in Kenya | Maiyo ZC, Njeru SN, Toroitich FJ, Indieka SA, Obonyo MA | Front Pharmacol | 19-Jan-2024 |
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| Ophiorrhiza mungos-Mediated Silver Nanoparticles as Effective and Reusable Adsorbents for the Removal of Methylene Blue from Water | Akhi AA, Hasan A, Saha N, Howlader S, Bhattacharjee S, Dey K, Atique Ullah AK, Bhuiyan FR, Chakraborty AK, Akhtar US, Shaikh MA, Dey BK, Bhattacharjee S, Ganguli S | ACS Omega | 15-Jan-2024 |
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| Nitrogen Deposition Amplifies the Legacy Effects of Plant Invasion | Cui M, Yu H, Fan X, Nawaz M, Lian J, Liu S, Zhu Z, Zhang H, Du D, Ren G | Plants (Basel) | 25-Dec-2023 |
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| Pharmacological and Clinical Studies of Medicinal Plants That Inhibit Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV | Rohani, Febrina E, Wahyuni IS, Levita J | Drug Des Devel Ther | 23-Nov-2023 |
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| Pest categorisation of Diaprepes abbreviatus | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Gonthier P, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Grégoire J, Malumphy C, Kertesz V, Maiorano A, MacLeod A | EFSA J | 15-Nov-2023 |
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| Seasonal dynamics of Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787) sensu stricto in a degraded area of the Amazon biome, with notes on Rickettsia amblyommatis infection | de Araújo FE, Martins TF, Ramos CC, Nogueira RM, Faccini JL, Tavares MA, de Lima NJ, de Almeida Júnior EB, de Sousa-Paula LC, Dantas-Torres F, da Silva Krawczak F, Costa-Junior LM, Labruna MB, Dall′Agnol LT, Luz HR | Parasit Vectors | 27-Oct-2023 |
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| Ethnobotanical study on medicinal plants used by Bulang people in Yunnan, China | Zhou H, Zhang J, Kirbis BS, Mula Z, Zhang W, Kuang Y, Huang Q, Yin L | J Ethnobiol Ethnomed | 07-Sep-2023 |
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| Effectiveness of herbal plants on rumen fermentation, methane gas emissions, in vitro nutrient digestibility, and population of protozoa | Antonius A, Pazla R, Putri EM, Negara W, Laia N, Ridla M, Suharti S, Jayanegara A, Asmairicen S, Marlina L, Marta Y | Vet World | 19-Jul-2023 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |