Hieris
Content
Description
Slender woody twiner.
Leaves 1-pinnate, with (1—)2(—3) pairs of entire leaflets.
Flowers scattered.
Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted at the end of the basal tube, included, 5th rudimentary;
Ovary ovate, subterete, with 2 grooves, microscopically glandular;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Malaysia present, Penang I present
Monotypic. Malesia: Malaysia: Penang I. (near village on north coast).
Taxonomy
Outstanding by the few ovules and the geniculate tube of the corolla. The structure of the inflorescence seems to be racemose though flowers are articulated.
Notes
Unfortunately the fruit and seed of this most interesting plant is unknown; from the cross-section of the ovary one might assume it to belong to tribe Bignonieae as the grooves of the ovary correspond with the edges of the septum, while furthermore the calyx structure is a replica of that of Nyctocalos, with which genus it seems closest related. In Nyctocalos, however, there is a very large number of ovules in each cell, which are very few in the Penang plant, like in the South American genus Memora. By the pinnate leaves Hieris shows resemblance with Nyctocalos pinnata STEEN. from Yunnan, which is unfortunately only known in fruit, but has abundant seeds in each cell.
Mr J. MULLER told me (Febr. 1975) that the pollen of Hieris is not in the least resembling the showy pattern of Nyctocalos.
Mr J. MULLER told me (Febr. 1975) that the pollen of Hieris is not in the least resembling the showy pattern of Nyctocalos.