Saraca cauliflora

Primary tabs

Saraca cauliflora

Description

Tree to 24 m tall and 38 cm in diam. Leaves (4-)7- (or 8-)jugate, subsessile to peti- oled; petiole and rachis 15-56 cm long. Inflorescences (8-)15-35(-40) cm wide, glabrous, the main branches 7- 18(-23) cm long, 3-10 mm diam.; bracts and bracteoles caducous, sometimes present on very young inflorescences, or bracteoles falling during anthesis; bracts much larger than bracteoles, oblanceolate, 12-35 by 7-22 mm, puberulous or glabrous; bracteoles oblanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 6-17 by 2-5 mm, almost glabrous; pedicels 7-15 mm, the length between bracteoles and flower 2-5(-8) mm. Flowers at first yellow, changing to orange at anthesis, to red later, articulated near the base, glabrous outside. Stamens (3 or) 4(to c.7); filaments 8.5-17 mm, glabrous; anthers ellipsoid or oblong, 1-2 mm long; staminode 1, small, or absent. Seeds ellipsoid, 3.6-3.8 by 2-2.4 cm.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present), C parts present, Northern present, Peninsula present, common in W present, southern part present
Burma (southern part), Thailand (Northern and Peninsula); Malesia: Malay Peninsula, Java (common in W and C parts)

Taxonomy

Saraca cauliflora has been placed in the synonymy of S. declinata by Zuijderhoudt (1968: 419). After having examined the authentic specimens and the original description as mentioned above, I found it is conspecific with S. thaipingensis. As described by Baker it has long petiolules (c. 12.5 mm long), ample, dense corymbs, and about 7 stamens, which are all traits characteristic for S. thaipingensis. The distinct, long petiolules (often 10-15 mm long), large and caducous bracts (which can be observed on very young inflorescences; 12-35 by 7-22 mm), rather big, robust inflorescences (up to 35, rarely to 40 cm wide), and large pods (up to 45, rarely to 50 cm long, 10 cm wide) are very characteristic for this species.

Citation

Koord. 1913 – In: Atlas: t. 25
Backer & Bakh.f 1964 – In: Fl. Java: 527.
Koord. & Valeton 1895 – In: Bijdr. Booms. Java: 39
Whitmore 1972: p. 270. – In: Tree Fl. Malaya: f. 2
Ridley 1922 – In: Fl. Malay Penins.: 641
Zuijderh. 1968: p. 416. – In: Blumea: map 1, excl. the Tonkin coll.
Verdc. 1979 – In: Manual New Guinea Leg., Lae Bot. Bull.: 89
J.E. Vidal 1984: p. 95. – In: Fl. Thailand: f. 24/8-10.