Thottea
Content
Description
Herbs, woody at the base, or undershrubs, rarely shrubs, single or tufted, simple or (sparsely) branched, erect, sometimes rhizomatous or scrambling.
Leaves entire;
Flowers actinomorphic, axillary or subradical, solitary or a few on short branches, in spicate or racemose, cymose or corymbose, or cincinnal, usually few-flowered inflorescences.
Stamens 6-c. 36 (-46) in 1 or 2, rarely 3 or 4 whorls, free or adnate to the style column.
Ovary 4-angular, 4-celled;
Capsules usually siliquiform, elongate, variable in length, 5-10 mm wide, ± 4-angular, sometimes cruciform in cross-section, dehiscing apically towards the base, or splitting from the central part towards both ends.
Seeds oblong, ellipsoid, or broadly ovoid, usually 3-angular in cross-section, rarely boat-shaped, often coated with remains of the placenta;
Distribution
Asia-Temperate: Hainan (Hainan present), Asia-Tropical: Bangladesh (Bangladesh present); Borneo present; India present; Jawa (Jawa present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Philippines (Philippines present); Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka present); Sulawesi (Sulawesi present); Sumatera (Sumatera present); Thailand (Thailand present); Vietnam (Vietnam present), Burma present, Indo-Malesia present
Indo-Malesia (c. 26 spp.): India (4 spp.), Sri Lanka (1), Bangladesh (1), Burma (3), Thailand (4), Vietnam (2), China (Hainan, 1), and Malesia (22): Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo, Philippines, and Celebes.
Notes
Thottea species possess a distinctive leaf architecture: the lower half or two-thirds of the stem carries many (8-12) small, scale- or bract-like, alternate reduced leaves, followed by a single small leaf, which is in turn followed by normal foliage leaves. This was observed by VAN STEENIS in Hortus Bogoriense on specimens of T. borneensis and T. macrantha and found to be a constant feature in all herbarium specimens with a complete stem.
The occurrence of these three leaf types in this sequence on a single stem has proved useful to recognize sterile specimens from some erect species of Aristolochia (e.g. A. philippinensis and A. sericea) which have a similar habit, but the stems of which carry only the normal foliage leaf type.
The occurrence of these three leaf types in this sequence on a single stem has proved useful to recognize sterile specimens from some erect species of Aristolochia (e.g. A. philippinensis and A. sericea) which have a similar habit, but the stems of which carry only the normal foliage leaf type.
Citation
DING HOU 1981 – In: Blumea: 303
SCHMIDT 1935 – In: E. & P., Nat. Pfl. Fam., ed. 2, 16b: 232
LOUR. 1793: Fl. Coch., ed. Willd: 645
KLOTZSCH 1859: Monatsb. Akad. Berlin: 588
DUCHARTRE 1864 – In: DC., Prod. 15: 428
LAMK 1823: Tabl. Encycl. Méth.: t. 640
SCHMIDT 1935 – In: E. & P., Nat. Pfl. Fam., ed. 2, 16b: 232