Heimia salicifolia Link, Enum. Hort. Berol. Alt. 2: 3 (1822) Figure 1.

Shrub, up to 2 m tall. Stem with flaky bark, brown, glabrous. Branchlets quadrangular, ridged, glabrous, green. Leaves simple, alternate, sub-sessile; lamina narrowly elliptic, lanceolate to oblong, 10‒35 × 3‒6 mm, base cuneate, margin entire, apex acute, adaxial surface dark green, abaxial surface glaucous. Flowers solitary, axillary, bisexual, sub-sessile; peduncle 1 mm long; bracteoles 2, elliptic to linear, 3‒3.5 × 1 mm, green. Floral tube campanulate, persistent, green; sepals valvate, 6, persistent; epicalyx appendages alternating with sepals, longer than sepals; petals 6, ca. 5 mm wide, rotund, yellow; stamens 12, ca. 4 mm long; filaments filiform, yellowish green; anthers oblong, versatile, yellow; ovary subglobose, green; style filiform, ca. 6 mm long, yellowish, persistent in fruit; stigma capitate, greenish. Fruit capsule, 4‒6-celled, subglobose, ca. 4 mm in diameter, 6-nerved, green. Seeds numerous, obconical, non-winged.

Heimia salicifolia is an introduced species native to Central and South America (Stanley & Ross, 1986; Rodas & Briones, 2010). Distribution of this species outside its native range have been reported in Australia (Stanley & Ross, 1986) and Zimbabwe (Maroyi, 2006). The species has been introduced to Java as an ornamental shrub or bonsai, and it is known as “suweng” or “ki ecep” by Indonesian bonsai enthusiasts. Nonetheless, the history of this species' introduction in Java is unknown. The oldest record for this species, according to the specimen filed in FIPIA, was collected by SM Popta in 1952 from Bandung, West Java.

In our study area, the species is grown in cultivation at 700 m asl. However, its wild population was discovered along a ditch and appeared to have escaped cultivation. The seeds are tiny and easily dispersed by water. Heimia salicifolia has a high potential for invasiveness and was reported as a naturalized species in Australia (Stanley & Ross, 1986).