e-Flora of Thailand
Volume 14 > Part 2 > Year 2019 > Page 251 > Araliaceae > Polyscias
3. Polyscias scutellaria (Burm.f.) Fosbergwfo-0000280144
Occas. Pap. Univ. Hawaii 46: 9. 1948; B.C.Stone in Whitmore, Tree Fl. Malaya 3: 25. 1978; Philipson, Fl. Males. Ser. I, Spermat. 9(1): 75. 1979; Lowry, Bull. Mus. Nation. Hist. Nat., B, Adansonia, Ser. 4, 11(2): 145. 1989; Baileya 23: 6. 1989; P.H.Hô, Câyco Viêtnam 2: 642, pl. 5459. 1993; Lowry in Frodin & Govaerts, World Checkl. Bibliogr. Araliac.: 298. 2004 (‘2003’); C.B.Shang & Lowry, Fl. China 13: 473. 2007.— Crassula scutellaria Burm.f., Fl. Ind.: 78. 1768.— Nothopanax scutellarius (Burm.f.) Merr., Interpret. Rumph. Herb. Amboin.: 409. 1917.
Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.
Synonyms & Citations :
Description : Shrubs to treelets, in cultivation 2 m tall. Completely glabrous. Leaves: bladeonce pinnate, with 3 or 5 leaflets or reduced to a single leaflet; petiolules ca 1–5 cm long; leaflets broadly elliptic to reniform, 6–20 by 6–20 cm, often bowl-shaped (concave), base cordate-rounded, margin entire to spinulose-dentate, apex rounded. Inflorescences (not seen in Thailand) erect, 30–80 cm long, with a long main axis and with 15–30 lateral branches, each one with 7–30 peduncles; umbels with ca 10–25 flowers. Flowers (not seen in Thailand): pedicel ca 2–7 mm long; petals and stamens 5–9; ovary (2–)3–5-locular. Fruits very rare (not seen in Thailand), 4–6 mm long, subglobose, sulcate.
Distribution : Very widely cultivated. Possible origin: Pacific Islands.
Ecology : Cultivated. In the Pacific Islands (where possibly indigenous) found in forests up to 300 m alt.
Vernacular : Ben ya ka ni (เบญกานี), klet pla kaho (เกล็ดปลากะโห้), khrut dang (ครุฑด่าง), khrut kra thong (ครุฑกระทง), khrut I pae (ครุฑอีแปะ)(Bangkok).
Uses: Ornamental shrub.
Notes: Probably the most widely cultivated Araliaceae, easily recognizable by its broadly orbicular leaflets, often variegated. Lowry (1989) distinguished Polyscias scutellaria, P. pinnata and other similar species all as widely cultivated exotic species and requiring further studies.