Volume 14 > Part 2 > Year 2019 > Page 202 > Araliaceae > Brassaiopsis

2. Brassaiopsis ficifolia Dunnwfo-0000396665

J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 35: 500. 1903; Craib, Fl. Siam. 1: 803. 1931; H.L.Li, Sargentia 2: 54. 1942; Bui, Adansonia n.s. 6: 444. 1966; P.H.Hô, Câyco Viêtnam 2: 631. 1993; Esser & Frodin in Frodin & Govaerts, World Checkl. Bibliogr. Araliac.: 100. 2004 (‘2003’); C.B.Shang & Lowry, Fl. China 13: 450. 2007.— Euaraliopsis ficifolia (Dunn) Hutch., Gen. Fl. Pl. 2: 624. 1967 (as ‘Euraliopsis’); G.Hoo & Y.Q.Tseng, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 54: 21. 1978.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Thin, hardly branched shrubs or treelets 3 m tall; branch tips pubescent, rarely with few scattered spines. Leaves: stipules 0.5–0.7 cm long, with short apical rim ca 1 mm long; petiole 10–20 cm long, slightly pubescent, without bristles; blade membranous, ca 17–25 cm long, palmately 3–5-lobed, base cordate, basally undivided for 4–6 cm, the lobes to 10–17 by 5–7 cm, distinctly longer than the undivided basal part, elliptic and not to only slightly constricted at their base, with round sinuses, margin serrate, apex (acute to) acuminate, glabrous above, slightly brighter beneath and with scattered but indistinct pubescence with short hairs visible only with magnification, venation distinct, each lobe with ca 7–9 pairs of side veins. Inflorescences not spiny, to 11 cm long, the main axis straight, to 6 cm long, carrying only 1–5 umbels; bracts caducous, not seen; axes and peduncles with short brown indumentum; umbels on a peduncle of 2.5–5 cm length, 2–3 cm in diam., with 12–28 flowers. Flowers pale green; pedicel 8–12 mm long; petals 2.5–3.5 mm long; filamants 2.5 mm, anthers 1 mm. Fruits: pedicel 8–12 mm long; drupes globose, ca 5.5 by 6 mm; style ca 2 mm long.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Mae Hong Son (Doi Hua Lon), Chiang Mai (Doi Chiang Dao, Doi Chong, Doi Suthep, Mae Rim).

Distribution : Myanmar, Vietnam, China (type).

Ecology : Primary evergreen hardwood forests, open Quercus forests, often in shaded places at streams, over granite, (600–)1,200–1,650 m alt. Flowering: November–February; fruiting: January, February.

Vernacular : Tang duea (ต้างเดื่อ), tang lek (ต้างเล็ก).

Notes: This species has a relatively small inflorescence, which lacks spines, and has characteristic few-lobed leaves.