Helixanthera parasitica

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Helixanthera parasitica

Description

Glabrous except for the inflorescence and flowers hairy when young, soon glabrescent except sometimes for the ovary remaining grey-white tomentose. Leaves opposite or subopposite; lamina ovate, 5-18 by 1.5—6(—8) cm, cuneate to truncate at the base to a petiole 5-20 mm long, acuminate and acute at the apex, thin, lustrous or dull on either side; venation pinnate with the midrib and the main laterals distinct on both sides. Inflorescencess at the nodes, a many-flowered raceme; axis (50-)100-300 mm long; pedicels (0.3-) 1-2 mm long, often verticillately clustered; bracts ovate or triangular, sometimes with a dorsal transverse fold, obtuse or acute, 0.7-1.5 mm long. Ovary campanulate, 1.5-3 mm long; calyx limb entire, spreading, 0.3-0.7 mm long.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Jawa (Jawa present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Philippines (Philippines present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Himalayas to southern China and Vietnam present
Himalayas to southern China and Vietnam; Malesia: Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Java, Philippines.

Notes

The species is moderately polymorphic with respect to pedicel and corolla length and the form of the bract. The variation is continuous, without a clear geographic pattern, and subsumes the segregate species recognized by Danser (Helixanthera annamica, H. parviflora, H. sumatrana, H. xestophylla).

Citation

Backer &Bakh. f. 1965 – In: Fl. Java: 71