Osmoxylon borneense

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Osmoxylon borneense

Description

Glabrous, spreading shrub, up to 3 m. Leaves clustered near the ends of the branches; Inflorescence terminal, hemispherical, c. 6-13 cm ø; Fruit globose, fleshy (ribbed when dry) c. 5 mm ø.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Borneo present (Kalimantan present, Sabah present, Sarawak present)
Malesia: Borneo (Sarawak, Sabah and Kalimantan).

Notes

The leaves of some specimens of 13. O. geelvinkianum (New Guinea) resemble this species closely. This species can be distinguished by the more compact and smaller fertile flowers, and by its leaflets being uniformly unlobed.
Both species are characteristic of river banks, and O. borneense has a low spreading habit, with the branches often rooting, resulting in extensive patches of this low shrub. It is a characteristic rheophyte confined to below flood-level.
The flowers are described as greenish white or cream and the inflorescence branches are frequently dark purple.

Citation

Philipson 1976 – In: Blumea: 107