Volume 14 > Part 2 > Year 2019 > Page 231 > Araliaceae > Schefflera

9. Schefflera hypoleucoides Harmswfo-0000305964

Feddes Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 16: 246. 1919; H.L.Li, Sargentia 2: 19. 1942; G.Hoo & C.J.Tseng, Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 54: 44, pl. fig. 6–8. 1978; C.B.Shang, Candollea 39: 474. 1984; Frodin in Frodin & Govaerts, World Checkl. Bibliogr. Araliac.: 346. 2004 (‘2003’); C.B.Shang & Lowry, Fl. China 13: 459. 2007. Fig. 5. Plate XX: A–B.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Eventually becoming large trees to 18 m tall, girth 100 cm; young branches tomentose to glabrous. Leaves: stipules ca 10 mm long, but without free lobes and scarcely apparent; petiole 13–65 cm long; leaflets 5–7(–9), their petiolules (1.5–)2.5–12 cm long, very variable within the same leaf, basically ovate to elliptic but changing strikingly from juvenile, lobed to entire, adult form, 14–30 by 5–22 cm (larger ones often lobed), chartaceous to coriaceous, base obtuse to rounded with very base slightly attenuate, margin entire or apically dentate, especially in lobed leaves, apex acuminate, leaves often pinnately dissected to 3/4 of width, variously 3–7-lobed, glabrous above, distinctly glaucous beneath and glabrous to sparsely tomentose, with scattered stellate (3–5-branched, with the central axis longest) hairs 0.5–0.9 mm across; venation distinct, side veins in 9–16 pairs, congested near base, prominent. Inflorescence pale greenish-white, terminal on shoots; 22–35 by ca 15 cm; basally enclosed by several fasciculated triangular, lobed bracts 1–2 cm long; bracts along the main axis ca 5 by 5 mm; the most basal peduncles 7–12(–17) cm long, the most apical reducing to ca 2 cm; with ca 25 umbels; umbels ca 2–3 cm in diam., with (15–)30–40 flowers each with a basal, tomentose bract 2–3 mm long; secondary peduncles with 1–4 similar bracts, some of which may rarely bear single flowers; covered throughout by an indumentum of white stellate hairs 0.3–0.4 mm across, becoming diffuse on peduncles. Flowers with scattered hairs; pedicel 5–10 mm long; calyx margin entire; petals 5, triangular, 2.5 by 1.3 mm, with sparing stellate indumentum on outer surface; disc to 2 mm across, flattened, abruptly giving rise to the 5 partly united styles, free in their upper half, these spreading in fruit, then styles to 2 mm long. Fruits: pedicel to 15 mm long; 5-locular, 4 by 4 mm, shallowly sulcate but not deeply ribbed; stylar column distinct, to 0.7 mm long, free stylar tips distinct.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Doi Inthanon, Mae Tuen); NORTH-EASTERN: Loei (Phu Luang).

Distribution : Vietnam, China (type).

Ecology : Montane forests / hill evergreen forests, locally very common, on acid rocks, 1,400–2,500 m alt. Flowering: November–March; fruiting: March.

Notes: A large tree to 40’ high or more, the leaves are variably lobed, being more dissected in the sapling. This is part of a complex of several very similar species that requires more detailed study. Schefflera hypoleuca Harms (from Myanmar and Assam) is mainly separated by united styles not spreading in fruit. Shang (1984) united S. trevesioides (from Vietnam) on the basis that the present species had less developed branching of the inflorescence, but other authors, such as Frodin (2004 [‘2003’]) separated both.

E-version notes : Heptapleurum hypoleucoides (Harms) Lowry & G.M.Plunkett
Novon 28: 155. 2020.