Volume 9 > Part 4 > Year 2008 > Page 489 > Cucurbitaceae > Neoalsomitra

4. Neoalsomitra sarcophylla (Wall.) Hutch.wfo-0001039563

Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 6: 100. 1942; Chakrav., Rec. Bot. Surv. India 17: 194. 1959; Keraudren in Aubrév. & J.-F.Leroy, Fl. Cambodge, Laos & Vietnam 15: 9, pl. 1. 1975, (p.p); W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes, Blumea 48: 111. 2003.— Alsomitra sarcophylla (Wall.) M.Roem., Syn. Monogr. 2: 118. 1846; Cogn. in A. & C.DC., Monogr. Phan. 3: 929. 1881; Craib, Fl. Siam. 1: 769. 1931; P.H.Hô, Câyco Vietnam 1, 2: 713, f. 1977. 1991.— Zanonia sarcophylla Wall., Pl. Asiat. Rar. (Wallich) 2: 28, t. 133. 1831. Fig. 27: C.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Climber 3–7 m long, glabrous; perennial from woody rootstock. Tendrils often with terminal adhesive pads. Leaves: blade 3-foliolate, fleshy-leathery, wrinkled on drying, 5–20 cm diam., glands absent; petiole 0.5–1 cm long; leaflets (broadly) ovate-elliptic to oblong lanceolate, to 12 by 6 cm, base rounded or ± narrowed, apex (narrowly) rounded, minutely mucronate, basal veins 3–5, curving towards apex, mostly indistinct; petiolules 0.2–0.5(–1) cm long, after abcission leaving raised flat scars. Male inflorescences paniculate, little or much branched, sometimes branched from the base, 10–20(–30) cm long, pendent, glabrous; bracts linear, 1 mm long or less. Female inflorescences paniculate or ± raceme-like, 5–10 cm long. Male flowers often to 3 sub-fascicled; pedicel 2–5 mm long; perianth subrotate, ca 5 mm diam., glabrous or minutely papillose; receptacle flattish, faintly 5-saccate, ca 1 mm diam.; sepals lanceolate, ca 2.5 mm long, acuminate; petals (ob)ovate, ca 3 by 1.5 mm, apex acuminate, midvein distinctly raised in lower portion, forming low ridges between the stamens; filaments free, spreading, ca 1 mm long; anthers less than 0.5 mm long. Female flowers: ovary narrow, ca 8 by 1 mm, glabrous; styles short, broad at base, stigma ± lobulate, margin ± dentate, style and stigma together ca 1 mm long; staminodes 0.2–0.5 mm long. Infructescences pendent, 5–10 cm long, with 5–10(–20) fruits; fruits much narrowed to the base, glabrous, 3(–4) cm long, apex truncate, 8(–10) mm wide; fruiting pedicel slender, 1(–1.5) cm long. Seeds sub-triangular, 6–7 by 3–4 mm, 2-horned at apex, margined, edge smooth or verrucose, faces finely verrucose, wing suberect, 8–10 by 4 mm.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Doi Suthep), Lamphun (Huai Bong); NORTH EASTERN: Loei; SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan (Kaeng Krachan NP); CENTRAL: Saraburi (Sam Lan); SOUTH-EASTERN: Chon Buri (Ang Chang Nam), Chanthaburi (Khao Soi Dao WS).

Distribution : Myanmar (lectotype), Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Langkawi Islands, rare and scattered in E Malesia.

Ecology : Mixed, (partly) deciduous evergreen lowland and montane forests, on basalt and granite bedrock and limestone, from sea level to 850 m alt. Flowering: December and January; fruiting: December–March.

Vernacular : Buri phuang (บุหรี่พวง), buri phra ram (บุหรี่พระราม)(Central); buri i wok (บุหรี่อีวอก), lop laep khruea (ลอบแลบเครือ)(Northern); pang pae (ปั๋งแป่)(Chon Buri); phuang buri (พวงบุหรี่)(Nakhon Ratchasima, Suphan Buri); muan ya phrain (มวนยาพระอินทร์)(Nong Khai).