Parastemon urophyllus

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Parastemon urophyllus

Description

Tree to 40 m tall, or shrub, the young branches glabrous, the trunk often buttressed. Leaves thinly coriaceous, narrowly oblong, 2.5-8 by 1.4-2.5 cm, cuspidate acuminate at apex, the tip 5-15 mm, cuneate at base; Stipules triangular, c. 1 mm long, caducous. Inflorescence of axillary and rarely terminal racemes or occasionally slightly branched, 4-14 cm long, the rachis glabrous. Flowerspolygamo-dioecious, c. 1.5 mm long. Petals 5. Stamens 2 fertile and 3 sterile stami-nodes opposite. Ovary inserted at base of receptacle, pilose on exterior, unilocular. Fruit ellipsoid, 1-1.5 cm long;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Nicobar Islands present
Nicobar Islands; in Malesia: Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo. .

Uses

The wood is hard to use because of the silica content, but it is used locally for general construction, posts, and as firewood.

Notes

The only record of this species from Java (BLUME s.n., L) is very dubious since the collector's name was added later. It is probably either mislabelled or from cultivated material. The only difference given between P. spicatus and P. urophyllus is that the former is a shrub with sessile flowers. Some forms of P. urophyllus have extremely short pedicels and most sessile-flowered individuals are recorded as being small trees. There is thus no reason to maintain P. spicatus as a distinct species.

Citation

BURK. 1935: Dict.: 1693
KOCHUM. & WYATT-SMITH 1964 – In: Mal. For. Rec.
Corner 1940: Wayside Trees: 526
BROWNE 1955: For. Trees Sarawak & Brunei: 308
Miq. 1855 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 359
RIDLEY 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 672
BOERL. & KOORD. 1901: p. 61. – In: IC. Bog.: t. 97
HASSK. 1858 – In: Flora: 256
PRANCE & WHITM. 1973 – In: Tree Fl. Malaya: 331