e-Flora of Thailand

Volume 10 > Part 2 > Year 2010 > Page 181 > Celastraceae > Microtropis

1. Microtropis bivalvis (Jack) Wall.

Cat.: 4340. 1830; M.A.Lawson in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 614. 1875; Merr. & Freem., Proc. Am. Ac. Arts Sc. 73: 301. 1940; Ding Hou in Steenis, Fl. Males. ser. 1, 6: 276. 1963; Kochummen & Whitmore, Tree Fl. Malaya 1: 170. 1972.— Celastrus bivalvis Jack, Mal. Misc. 1, 5: 19. 1821.


Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.



Synonyms & Citations :

Microtropis filiformis King, J. Asiat. Bengal 65: 342. 1896; Ridl., Fl. Malay Penin. 1: 444. 1922; Craib, Fl. Siam. Enum. 1: 281. 1926.
Microtropis peduncularis Ridl., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1924: 262. 1924; Fl. Malay Penin. 5: 298. 1925; Craib, Fl. Siam. Enum. 1: 282. 1926.


Description : Shrubs or small trees, up to 7 m tall. Incipient bracts small, 2–4 mm long. Leaves chartaceous to subcoriaceous, elliptic, ovate to lanceolate, (6–)12–15(–20) by 2.5–6(–8) cm, base acute to attenuate, apex acuminate; nerves 6–10 per side, usually slightly elevated, distinct or visible on both surfaces, petiole 5–8 mm long. Inflorescences cymose, 2–10 cm long, 2–5 times branched, rarely simple; peduncle 1–3.5 cm long. Flowers white or yellow. Calyx lobes suborbiculate or slightly reniform, 1–2 mm long, short-fimbriate or slightly erose and transparent at the margin. Petals oblong or oblong-ovate, 2.5–3.7 by 1.3–1.7 mm, smooth inside. Stamens ca 1.3 mm long, basal part of filament united into a ring, anthers opening introrse. Ovary: stigma discoid. Fruits ellipsoid, ca 15 by 10 mm, subfurfuraceous, glabrescent. Seeds ellipsoid, 7–9 by ca 6 mm.


Thailand : SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi (Sangkhla Buri), Phetchaburi (Kaeng Krachan NP); PENINSULAR: Chumphon (Lang Suan, Pang Wan), Ranong, Surat Thani (Ban Ta Khun, Khao Nong, Ko Pha-ngan, Krasom), Nakhon Si Thammarat (Khao Ron, Khao Luang, Phi Pun, Sichon, Thung Song), Trang (Khao Banthat, Khao Chong), Phatthalung(Tamot Falls Forest Park), Satun (Khuan Don), Pattani (Khao Kalakhiri), Narathiwat (Waeng).


Distribution : Myanmar (Tenasserim), Peninsular Malaysia (type), Indonesia (Sumatra).


Ecology : Chiefly in evegreen forests, also occurring in mixed evergreen and seasonal forests, rugged limestone terrain, from lowland to 1,800 m alt. Flowering: January–June, October, December; fruiting: March, April, June, September, October.


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