Rinorea javanica
Content
Description
Growth in flushes, internodes rather variable in length.
Leaves largely distichous.
Stipules 1-3(-3½) mm long, with broad base and narrow top, keeled, sometimes late caducous.
Inflorescences mostly on the branchlets, axillary (sometimes a whole row of them on a leafless part of a twig), generally consisting of a bracteate pubescent axis 0.5-2.6 cm long, sometimes cluster-like or rarely simple to 3 cm long and then the flowers distichous, with 3-7 lateral cymes c. ½ cm long with a few to several flowers each;
Sepals more or less fleshy, triangular to elliptic, 1-2 by ¾-1 mm, outside with some hairs.
Petals thin, 3 by 1-1½ mm, sometimes in the apical half the margins like pinched together, outside often with some hairs.
Ovary sometimes hairy, with 3-9 ovules;
Fruit subtended by the dried diverging perianth, on a very short stipe, globose to elliptic before dehiscence and c. 1½-2½ cm long;
Seeds 3-6, c. 8-9 by 6-7 mm, with irregular pattern of dark and light colour, sometimes evenly dark-coloured, hilus distinct.
Distribution
Annam near Quang-tri present, Asia-Tropical: Philippines (Philippines present), Celebes once found in the NE. Peninsula present, Palawan present, Southwestern and Peninsular Siam present, Sumatra very rare and not in the northern part present, W. Java present, everwet parts of Malaya present
Indo-China (only in Annam near Quang-tri); Southwestern and Peninsular Siam; in Malesia frequent in the everwet parts of Malaya; in Sumatra very rare and not in the northern part; in W. Java in several places; in the Philippines once found in Palawan; in Celebes once found in the NE. Peninsula.
Notes
Tree 5-10 m with spreading hanging branches. Leaves bright and sometimes glossy green, paler beneath. Flower white to pale green. Capsules dark greenish brown or black, c. 1¾ by 1 cm, dehiscing explosively.
In BLUME'S type specimen and some others the outer layer of the fruit is 4-5 mm thick and corky — a malformation?
Alsodeia formicaria owes its name to the small black ants which ELMER found inhabiting the hollow and sometimes bladdery capsules, “passing in and out through the distinctly circular aperture at the top.”
As the only collection from Borneo is one by KORTHALS, whose labelling was often inaccurate, this record is considered apocryphous; it may be from Sumatra.
In BLUME'S type specimen and some others the outer layer of the fruit is 4-5 mm thick and corky — a malformation?
Alsodeia formicaria owes its name to the small black ants which ELMER found inhabiting the hollow and sometimes bladdery capsules, “passing in and out through the distinctly circular aperture at the top.”
As the only collection from Borneo is one by KORTHALS, whose labelling was often inaccurate, this record is considered apocryphous; it may be from Sumatra.
Citation
Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 624
OUDEM. 1867 – In: Miq., Ann. 3: 71
King 1896: p. 123. – In: Ann. R. Bot. Gard. Calc.: pi. 142A
Merr. 1923 – In: En. Philip.: 104
Ridl. 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 129
J. J. SMITH 1914 – In: K. & V., Bijdr. 13: 64
BURK. 1935: Dict.: 1913
King 1896: p. 124. – In: Ann. R. Bot. Gard. Calc.: pi. 142B
Miq. 1859 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 116
Ridl. 1922 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 130
BACK. & BAKH.f. 1964 – In: Fl. Java: 194
Miq. 1869 – In: Ann.: 216
JACOBS 1967 – In: Blumea: 134
BACK. 1911: Schoolfl.: 68
Koord. 1912 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 625
HASSK. 1858: Retzia, ed. nov: 19