Meliosma lanceolata

Content

Description

Evergreen tree, up to c. 25(-30) m. Leaves (3—)7—18(—25)-jugate; Sepals 5 (4), ovate, more or less unequal, the inner 3 or 4 c. 1 mm, the outer 2 or 1 usually much smaller, often minute and sometimes slightly keeled, sometimes somewhat lowered on the pedicel, all glabrous, and with an entire margin. Panicles terminal, nearly always pendulous and lax, rarely erect (then also small), pyramidal, usually large, (15—)50—150 cm and profusely branched up to the 3rd order, ± pubescent, bearing numerous glomerulate or crowded flowers which are usually spicately arranged, the glomerules often with regular space; Ovary (0.5-)0.7(-l) mm, usually densely, sometimes sparsely pubescent, rarely glabrous. Fruit (sub)globose, when ripe 7-10 mm diam.;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Sumatera (Sumatera present), Banka Is present, Extreme south of Peninsular Thailand present, Nicobar Is present, Simalur present, W. Java present, northern half present

Nicobar Is., extreme South of Peninsular Thailand; in Malesia: Sumatra (incl. Simalur, Batu, and Banka Is.), W. Java, Borneo (northern half). Not uncommon, scarce in Borneo. .

Notes

Meliosma lanceolata is generally very well characterized by its large pendulous panicles and its long leaves with many usually lanceolate leaflets. Nevertheless it shows a wide variation especially in number but also in shape and size of the leaflets and the panicles. On the islands west of Sumatra (Simalur, Nias, Batu) specimens are found with normal inflorescences but only 3-5-pinnate leaves, and elliptic, sometimes subrotund, large leaflets. Transitions to this extreme are common. There is another deviating form, however, which takes a separate position. It has many small, mostly lanceolate leaflets which otherwise do not differ from those of M. lanceolata. Also the panicles agree with that species. In view of the wide variability in the leaves of M. lanceolata, I prefer to include it here and I have reduced it to a variety. The varieties and forms can be distinguished as follows:

Citation

MERR. & PERRY 1939 – In: J. Arn. Arb.: 359

King 1896 – In: J. As. Soc. Beng.: 458

BACKER & BAKH.Ƒ 1965 – In: Fl. Java: 145

VAN BEUSEKOM 1971 – In: Blumea: 489

HALL.f. 1910 – In: Med. Rijksherb.: 2

RIDLEY 1900 – In: J. Str. Br. Roy. As. Soc.: 67

K. & V. 1914 – In: Atlas: t. 376

K. & V. 1923 – In: Fl. Tjibodas: 158

WALP. 1852 – In: Ann.: 224

RIDLEY 1926: Kew Bull.: 63

BAKER f. 1924 – In: Rendle, J. Bot. 62: Suppl. 30

RIDLEY 1922: p. 516. – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: f. 51

Merr. 1921: Enum. Born.: 363

Blume 1871: Illustr.: 74

HASSK. 1844: Cat. Hort. Bog.: 226

Blume 1861: Sum.: 203, 520

K. & V. 1903 – In: Bijdr.: 125

HOCHR. 1936 – In: Candollea: 467

Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 614

CRAIB 1926 – In: Fl. Siam. Enum.: 340

DIETR. 1839 – In: Syn. Pl.: 103

Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 546

Hook.f. 1876 – In: Fl. Brit. India: 7

Miq. 1871: Illustr.: 73

RIDLEY 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 515

Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 546

Blume 1849: p. 200. – In: Rumphia: t. 168