Lepisanthes ramiflora

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Lepisanthes ramiflora

Description

Small tree up to 22.5 m high and 2 cm in diam., or shrub. Leaves pari- (rarely im-pari-)pinnate, (3-)4-6-jugate, 40-50 cm; Inflorescences cauliflorous, several to many fascicled on knobs on the stem, simple or hardly branched, racemoid, c. 1.5 cm long, flowers few; Flowers 4-merous. Sepals pale pink, outer 2 elliptic, 2.5 by 2 mm, with petaloid margin, inner broad-ovate, 3 by 2 mm, for the greater part petaloid. Petals white, sparsely long ciliate near the base, 0.4 mm long clawed, blade semi-transversely ellipsoid, 1 by 1.8 mm; Stamens 5-7; Ovary suborbicular, flattened, 2-celled, pale yellowish; Fruits transversely ellipsoid, slightly bilobed, 1 by 1.5 cm, crimson to dark purple, incompletely 2-celled. Seeds ellipsoid.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Borneo present, Sarawak: around Kuching present
Malesia: Borneo (Sarawak: around Kuching).

Uses

The fruits are eaten.

Notes

Closest to L. amplifolia (Pierre) Leenh., from S Vietnam, which has 5-merous flowers (according to Gagnepain), infructescences up to 40 cm long, widely branched, and completely 2-celled fruits.

Citation

Radlk. 1932 – In: Engl., Pflanzenr. 98: 758