Volume 7 > Part 4 > Year 2002 > Page 668 > Loranthaceae > Baratranthus

Baratranthus axanthus (Korth.) Miq.wfo-0000559923

Fl. Ind. Bat. 1, 1: 834. 1856; Danser, Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg 3, 11: 393. 1931; Barlow, Fl. Mal. 1, 13: 281. 1997.— Loranthus axanthus Korth., Verh. Batav. Genootsch. Kunsten 17: 262. 1839. [For extensive additional synonymy see Danser, loc. cit.]. Fig. 1.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Glabrous except for a dense rusty stellate tomentum on the young vegetative parts and inflorescences. Stem internodes somewhat angular when young but soon terete. Leaves opposite or displaced, with pairs of normally developed leaves usually separated by one or more pairs of vestigial ones; normally developed lamina narrowly ovate to ovate, 6–16 by 2–7.5 cm, cuneate to truncate at the base to a petiole 5–17 mm long, acuminate and acute at the apex, dull on both sides; venation pinnate with the midrib visible above and prominent below and other venation obscure; vestigial leaves 5–7 mm long, channeled above, deciduous. Inflorescences at the nodes, a 6- to 12-flowered capitate spike; axis 1–2 mm long; bracts ca 0.5 mm long, concave. Flowers unisexual, dioecious. Corolla in mature bud cylindric or somewhat narrowed in the middle, angular, obtuse, in male flowers ca 4 mm long, in female flowers 2.5–3 mm long, usually white to yellow but sometimes pink or red. Anther ca 1.5 mm long, sessile.

Thailand : PENINSULAR: Narathiwat (Khao Nakarat).

Distribution : Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Java.

Ecology : Probably in primary evergreen forests, from 0 to 1,900 m alt., recorded as parasitic on Antidesma and Ficus, in Thailand recorded from 665 m alt. with no host record

Notes: This species and Loranthus odoratus are the only dioecious species of Loranthaceae in Thailand.