Gomphia serrata

Primary tabs

Gomphia serrata

Description

Shrub or tree, up to 25 m, 40 cm ø. Branchlets of young plants sometimes scrambling. Leaves ovate-to obovate-lanceolate, 6-20 by 2-6 cm (up to 35 by 10 cm in young plants), chartaceous, mostly acute to acuminate, sometimes obtuse at apex, acute or a little tapering at base, margin finely denticulate; Inflorescences many-flowered; Sepals mostly ovate to elliptic, sometimes obovate, 4-7 by 2½-4 mm, mostly acute to obtuse, sometimes rounded. Petals obliquely obovate to broad-spatulate, 4½-8 by 2½-6 mm, obtuse, rounded or truncate, mostly yellow, sometimes creamy or white. Stamens subsessile or with up to ½ mm long filaments; Ovaries 0.7-1 by 0.4-0.6 mm; Fruits up to 8(-10) by 6(-8) mm.

Distribution

Asia-Temperate: Hainan (Hainan present), Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; India present; Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Philippines (Philippines present); Sulawesi (Sulawesi present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Banka present, Ceylon present, E. Thailand present, Karimundjawa Is present
SW. Peninsular India, Ceylon, E. Thailand, Indo-China, Hainan; in Malesia: Sumatra, Banka, Malay Peninsula, Karimundjawa Is., Borneo, Philippines, and Celebes.

Uses

The wood is reported as being used as poles or planks for the construction of houses in Ceylon, Vietnam, Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, and Sarawak. The leaves are chewed by jungle tribes in Malaya. Roots and leaves are bitter and are decocted in S. India for a stomachic and antiemetic tonic. Young branches are used against tooth-ache in Cambodia.

Notes

As this species grows under rather different ecological conditions, the variation in its morphological characters is not surprising. Apart from these variations, some geographically more or less separated ‘races’ can be recognized. This is the reason why in certain Floras two or three different species have been recognized although the distinctive characters can hardly be used at a specific level. Over a large area it is impossible to make a key to these ‘races’, because the same differences occur in remote parts of the specific area. In Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula plants are relatively uniform, the greatest variation occurring in Borneo, especially in Sarawak. In more ex-posed habitats, on cliffs and on poor kerangas soils, specimens often have small leaves. On limestone in the Langkawi Islands a race ‘micro-phylld’ is found with small leaves and very reduced inflorescences. Similar, but less reduced forms are found elsewhere along the coasts of the Malay Peninsula.

Citation

VAHL 1886: Rev. Pl. Vasc. Filip.: 79
Ridl. 1930: Kew Bull.: 76
RENDLE 1924: J. Bot.: Suppl. 16
JACK 1830 – In: Hook., Bot. Misc. 2: 77
JACK 1847 – In: Hook., Lond. J. Bot. 6: 2
Merr. 1921 – In: J. Str. Br. R. As. Soc.: 387
King 1893 – In: J. As. Soc. Beng.: 232
Ridl. 1925: Kew Bull.: 79
VAHL 1895: Phan. Cuming.: 101
Merr. 1952 – In: J. Arn. Arb.: 226
PLANCH. 1845 – In: Hook., Ic. Pl. II: t. 712
Ridl. 1893 – In: Trans. Linn. Soc.: 285
Merr. 1921 – In: J. Str. Br. R. As. Soc.: 387
TIEGH. 1903 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 20
Ridl. 1925 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 296
AIRY SHAW 1940: Kew Bull.: 249
TIEGH. 1903 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 21
BENN. 1875: p. 525. – In: Hook.f., Fl. Br. Ind. 1: err. ‘sumatrensis’
SCHEFF. 1873 – In: Nat. Tijd. N. I.: 411
TIEGH. 1903 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 21
HALL.f. 1916 – In: Beih. Bot. Centralbl.: 35
BACKER 1911: Schoolfl.: 194
TIEGH. 1903 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 22
Merr. 1921 – In: J. Str. Br. R. As. Soc.: 387
TIEGH. 1903 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 19
Ridl. 1930: Kew Bull.: 76
HALL.F. 1916 – In: Beih. Bot. Centralbl.: 34
KANIS 1970 – In: Fl. Thail.: 28
Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 675
TIEGH. 1903 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 21
BARTELL. 1901 – In: Malpighia: 160
JACK 1860: Sumatra: 209, 534
Merr. 1921 – In: J. Str. Br. R. As. Soc.: 387
LANESS. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 68
TIEGH. 1902 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 301
JACK 1925 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 296
BACKER & BAKH.f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 327
AIRY SHAW 1940: Kew Bull.: 249
Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 107
F.-VILL. 1880: NOV. App.: 39
KANIS 1968 – In: Blumea: 53
VIDAL 1883: Sinopsis: 19
TIEGH. 1902 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 298
JACK 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 365
SCHEFF. 1873 – In: Nat. Tijd. N. I.: 411
Merr. 1921 – In: J. Str. Br. R. As. Soc.: 387
TIEGH. 1903 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 17
Ridl. 1930: Kew Bull.: 76
TIEGH. 1903 – In: Ann. Sc. Nat. Bot.: 21
BENN. 1875 – In: Hook.f., Fl. Br. Ind. 1: 525