Microdesmis

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Microdesmis

Description

Shrubs to trees, dioecious. Leaves distichous, simple; Stipules triangular, persistent, outside hairy, inside glabrous. Inflorescences axillary fascicles to shortly pedunculate after several flowering periods, peduncle with one to many flowers, pistillate fascicles usually with fewer flowers than staminate ones; Flowers shortly pedicelled, calyx (4- or) 5-lobed, hairy on both sides, hairs papilla-like, lobes imbricate; Fruits ovoid to flattened ovoid drupes, glabrous, wall often knobbly because of thickened parts in exocarp and/or endocarp, mesocarp fleshy, endocarp thick, wall knobbly, basally with thickened triangular part, columella absent. Seeds compressed ovoid, without fleshy appendages.

Distribution

Africa present, Asia present
A palaeotropical genus of 10 species, 8 in Africa (subg. Microdesmis), 2 in Asia (subg. Ganitrocarpus).

Taxonomy

The genus is divided into two subgenera, subg. Microdesmis has 5 stamens and non-apiculate connectives; subg. Ganitrocarpus has 10 stamens. The second character for this subgenus, the apiculate connective, is redundant, because M. magallanensis lacks this extension of the connective.

Citation

Keay 1958 – In: Fl. W. Trop. Afr., ed. 2: 392
Baill. 1858: Étude Gén. Euphorb.: 668
Müll.Arg. 1866 – In: DC., Prodr. 15: 1041
Pax & K.Hoffm. 1911 – In: Engl., Pflanzenr. IV: 105
Pax 1890 – In: Engl., Nat. Pflanzenfam. III: 82
Airy Shaw 1975 – In: Kew Bull.: 222
Whitmore 1973 – In: Tree Fl. Malaya: 118
Müll.Arg. 1866 – In: DC., Prodr. 15: 1254
Hook.f. 1887 – In: Fl. Brit. India: 380
Benth. in Benth. & Hook.f. 1880 – In: Gen. Pl.: 287
Airy Shaw 1972 – In: Kew Bull.: 362
Pax & K.Hoffm. 1931 – In: Engl. & Harms, Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2, 19c: 172
Radcl.-Sm. 2001: Gen. Euphorbiacearum: 126
Sleumer 1935 – In: Engl. & Harms, Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2, 16b: 22
Ridl. 1924 – In: Fl. Malay Penins.: 258
Planch. 1981 – In: Kew Bull.: 367
J.-G.Adam 1971 – In: Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat.: 499
Robyns 1948 – In: Fl. Parc Nat. Alb.: 472
Berhaut 1975 – In: Fl. Ill. Sénégal: 539
Radcl.-Sm. 1988 – In: Fl. Trop. E. Africa: 581
Gagnep. 1926 – In: Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 5: 458
Planch. 1962 – In: Fl. Congo Rwanda-Burundi: 102
G.L.Webster 1994 – In: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard.: 68
J.Léonard 1961 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. État. Bruxelles: 159