Volume 7 > Part 3 > Year 2001 > Page 516 > Polygalaceae > Polygala

13. Polygala tricholopha Chodatwfo-0001219762

Monog. 2: 98, t. 17. 1893; Craib, Contr. Fl. Siam: 15. 1912; in Fl. Siam. Enum. 1: 103. 1925; Meijden in Fl. Mal. I, 10: 469. 1988.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Small woody climber, stem diameter ca 2 cm. Stems terete, shortly hairy, glabrescent. Leaves oblong, elliptic or slightly obovate, midrib deeply impressed on the upper surface, densely short-hairy, lamina glabrous, 6–15 by 2.5–6 cm; petiole 5–6 mm, shortly hairy. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of 10–150 flowers with up to 14 branches, minutely hairy; bracts broadly triangular, very soon caducous, 1.5 mm. Flowers dark purple, with yellow keel, 12–17 mm; pedicel 4–6 mm. Outer sepals unequal, ciliate, the two lower rounded, 3.0–4.0 by 3.5–5 mm, the upper saccate, 7–8 mm. Alae obovate or elliptic, cucullate, glabrous, 12–15 mm. Upper petals slightly spathulate, densely hairy at the base, 12 mm with free parts 5–6 mm. Keel 13–14 mm, appendage shortly stalked, finely divided, 3.0–3.5 mm. Stamens slightly more connate towards centre of staminal sheath, 12 mm. Disk annular, 0.5–1.0 mm. Ovary oblong to ovate, glabrous, 2–3 by 1–2.8 mm, style straight in the lower part, curved in the upper half, 8–9 mm. Capsule with prominent concentric ridges, glabrous, 14 by 16 mm, wing up to 1.5–2.0 mm wide, ribbed. Seeds black, spheroidal, with slight basal depression, sparsely short-hairy, 3 by 4 mm; aril projecting apically, to 6 mm.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai.

Distribution : Laos, Vietnam, Burma, India (type).

Ecology : In primary and secondary evergreen forests, 1,000–1,300 m alt.

Vernacular : Khuea chae din (เขือแจ้ดิน), ma khuea chae khruea (มะเขือแจ้เครือ)(Chiang Mai).

Notes: The only climber in the genus and also the only species with a large, paniculate inflorescence.