Meliosma lepidota
Content
Description
Evergreen shrub or tree, up to c. 15(-22) m.
Leaves elliptic or obovate to lanceolate, 2-32 by 0.7-12(-18)cm, index (1.2-)1.5-3(-4), at the base acute, at apex acute to caudate, rarely obtuse, usually entire, sometimes remotely spinously dentate towards the apex, beneath sometimes pubescent on midrib and nerves, without domatia;
Sepals (4) 5, (round-)ovate, sub-equal, 1-2 mm, or the outer 1 or 2 smaller, often one lowered on the pedicel, all entire, ciliolate.
Panicles usually axillary and erect, widely to usually narrowly pyramidal, 3-30(-200) cm, usually densely pubescent, bearing numerous solitary to crowded flowers which are sometimes spicately arranged;
Ovary 0.5-1 mm, very exceptionally pubescent.
Fruit (sub)glo-bose, sometimes elliptic, when ripe 5-10 mm diam.;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo (Sabah present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Philippines (Philippines present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Luzon present, Mindoro present, N. Borneo present, SE. & E. Asia present, W. Java present
SE. & E. Asia; in Malesia (with 4 subspecies): Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, W. Java, N. Borneo (Sabah), and the Philippines (Luzon, Mindoro).
Notes
Meliosma lepidota displays a rather wide variation, especially in the ramification of its panicles which covers almost the whole range of possibilities found throughout Meliosma.
Within M. lepidota seven subspecies are recognized, four of which in Malesia. The differences between them are on the same level as in other subspecies in Meliosma. Transitional forms between these subspecies, however, occur in only a few cases, which is logical since there is perfect geographical isolation between most of them. See further the notes under the subspecies.
Within M. lepidota seven subspecies are recognized, four of which in Malesia. The differences between them are on the same level as in other subspecies in Meliosma. Transitional forms between these subspecies, however, occur in only a few cases, which is logical since there is perfect geographical isolation between most of them. See further the notes under the subspecies.