Aralidium
Content
Description
Dioecious.
Unarmed tree or shrub with simple, exstipulate pinnately lobed, irregularly incised, or entire leaves.
Inflorescence a large panicle, with cymules of small flowers arranged racemosely on the branches.
Fruit drupe-like.
Seed solitary, pendulous from a thickened funicle, 4-5-grooved;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Jawa (Jawa present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Peninsular Thailand present
Monotypic. Peninsular Thailand and Malesia: Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo.
The record from Java by Miquel () is erroneous (see ).
The record from Java by Miquel () is erroneous (see ).
Notes
The single species forms a genus with several unique features, namely the large, simple, characteristically pinnately lobed leaves, the absence of resin ducts, the diffuse panicles of male or female flowers, the 3-carpellate ovary with a single surviving loculus resulting in a single-seeded fruit, the dorsal raphe, the deeply ruminate endosperm, and the enlarged funicle.
The genus is treated here as a member of the Araliaceae mainly as a matter of convenience. Sometimes it has been placed in the Cornaceae (e.g. and ), and on full investigation it may well prove to be better placed in that family. The absence of resin ducts and the dorsal raphe strongly support a relationship with the Cornaceae and its immediate allies, though the absence of borders to the pits of the xylary fibres is characteristic of Araliaceae.
Several genera formerly placed in the Cornaceae have now been elevated to the rank of family. If this course is followed then Aralidium should also be segregated. Many of the features of Aralidium approach those of Griselinia (segregated as Griseliniaceae) and possibly these two genera should be united as a single family.
The genus is treated here as a member of the Araliaceae mainly as a matter of convenience. Sometimes it has been placed in the Cornaceae (e.g. and ), and on full investigation it may well prove to be better placed in that family. The absence of resin ducts and the dorsal raphe strongly support a relationship with the Cornaceae and its immediate allies, though the absence of borders to the pits of the xylary fibres is characteristic of Araliaceae.
Several genera formerly placed in the Cornaceae have now been elevated to the rank of family. If this course is followed then Aralidium should also be segregated. Many of the features of Aralidium approach those of Griselinia (segregated as Griseliniaceae) and possibly these two genera should be united as a single family.
Citation
Harms 1894 – In: E. & P., Nat. Pfl. Fam. 3. p 60
Miq. 1863 – In: Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat. p 25
Miq. 1856: p. 762. – In: Fl. Ind. Bat. t. 13
Hutch. 1967 – In: Gen. Fl. Pl. p 59
Boerl. 1890 – In: Handl. p 631
Hemsl. 1886 – In: Hook., Ic. Pl. 16. t. 1549
Bth. 1865 – In: B. & H., Gen. Pl. 1. p 936