Volume 8 > Part 2 > Year 2007 > Page 434 > Euphorbiaceae > Mallotus

38. Mallotus thorelii Gagnep.wfo-0000234764

Not. Syst. 4: 53. 1923; in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 5: 358. 1926; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull, 26: 307. 1972; Welzen, Slik & Bollendorff in Welzen et al., Thai Forest Bull., Bot. 28: 110. 2000; Slik & Welzen, Blumea 46: 47, fig. 18, map 6. 2001. Fig. 38.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Straggling shrub to tree, up to 10 m high, smelling of fenugreek. Indumentum of simple and stellate hairs, glandular scales orangish. Stipules triangular, 2.5–4.5 by 0.9–1.4 mm. Leaves terminally grouped, alternate to subopposite; petiole 1.5–13 cm long; blade ovate, 3–16 by 2.2–7.7 cm, length/width ratio 1.2–1.6, drying greenish to brownish, base slightly emarginate, rounded, not to up to 2 cm, peltate margin subentire with few small glandular teeth, apex acuminate to cuspidate, upper surface with glandular scales, especially near insertion, 2–6 small, black extrafloral nectaries in peltate part, 0.3–0.7 mm in diam., apically 0–3 extrafloral nectaries; lower surface with stellate and simple hairs on venation, many glandular scales, hair tuft domatia usually present; venation palmate. Inflorescences terminal to axillary, single (to seldom few together), unbranched. Staminate inflorescences up to 11 cm long; flowers in groups of up to 7 per node; bracts ovate to elliptic, 1.5–2.8 by 0.5–1.2 mm. Staminate flowers ca 3.5 mm in diam.; pedicel 1.3–2.3 mm long; sepals 4 or 5, elliptic, 2–2.5 by 0.5–1.1 mm; stamens 40–50, filaments 1.2–1.8 mm long, anthers 0.3–0.5 mm long. Pistillate inflorescences up to 14.5 cm long; bracts triangular, 3.5–3.8 by ca 1.3 mm. Pistillate flowers: pedicel 1–1.5 mm long; sepals 2–5, ovate to triangular, 1.3–3.5 by 0.7–2.8 mm; ovary 3(4)-locular, echinate with 1 mm long spines, densely woolly hairy; style 0.6–1.5 mm long; stigmas 2–4 mm long. Fruits lobed capsules, 6–8 by 5–6 mm, pale green, rather densely echinate or verrucose, shortly grey tomentellous, column ca 4 mm high. Seeds subglobular, ca 2.5 by 2 by 1.8 mm.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Nakhon Sawan; EASTERN: Nakhon Ratchasima (Tha Chang), Surin (Tathum), Si Sa Ket (Kantralak); SOUTH-WESTERN: Phetchaburi; CENTRAL: Saraburi (Pa Sak River); SOUTH-EASTERN: Sa Kaeo (Aranyaprathet, Lam Nang Rong), Prachin Buri. Seemingly also in North-Eastern, Eastern and Central.

Distribution : Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam (type).

Ecology : Mixed or evergreen forests or scrub, low altitudes.

Vernacular : Fai nam (ฝ่ายน้ำ)(Northeastern).