e-Flora of Thailand

Volume 15 > Part 1 > Year 2021 > Page 84 > Rubiaceae > Leptopetalum

1. Leptopetalum biflorum (L.) Neupane & N.Wikstr.wfo-0001342537

Taxon 64: 317. 2015.— Oldenlandia biflora L., Sp. Pl.: 119. 1753.Hedyotis biflora (L.) Lam., Tabl. Encycl. 1: 272. 1792; Fosberg, Bull. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. 174: 19. 1943; Fukuoka in S.E. Asian Stud. 8(3): 333. 1970; Biju et al., Rheedea 2: 15, fig. 1A, 2A–F. 1992; Tao Chen & C.M.Taylor in Z.Y.Wu et al., Fl. China 19: 154. 2011; R.J.Wang in K.M.Wong et al., Fl. Singapore 13: 115. 2019.Gonotheca biflora (L.) Masam., Sci. Rep. Kanazawa Univ., Biol. 4: 78. 1955.Thecagonum biflorum (L.) Babu, Bull Bot. Surv. India 11: 214. 1971 (‘1969’).


Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.



Synonyms & Citations :

Oldenlandia paniculata L., Sp. Pl.: 1667. 1753; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 3: 70. 1880; Pit. in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 3: 153, figs. 15 & 19. 1922; Ridl., Fl. Malay Penins. 2: 53. 1923.— Hedyotis paniculata (L.) Lam., Encycl. 3: 79. 1789.— Neanotis paniculata (L.) M.R.Almeida, Fl. Maharashtra 3A: 38. 2001.
Hedyotis paniculata Rottler ex Wight & Arn., Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 417. 1834, nom. illeg.
Hedyotis racemosa Lam., Encycl. 3: 80. 1789; Biju et al., Rheedea 2: 17, fig. 1B, 2G–L. 1992.
Hedyotis dichotoma Cav., Icon. 6: 53, tab. 573, fig 2. 1801.— Oldenlandia dichotoma (Cav.) Willd. ex Cham. & Schltdl., Linnaea 4: 155. 1829.


Description : Erect or ascending herbs 5–40 cm tall; stems branching at base, young branchlets quadrangular, 4-ribbed or slightly wing, glabrous. Stipules sheath triangular, lobes 1–5 filiform appendages, with colleter, hairy. Leaves ovate, ovate- lanceolate or broadly elliptic, (0.6–)1.2–3 by (0.4–)0.6–1.4 cm, base cuneate, apex acute, membranous, glabrous, lower surface pale green, lateral veins 2–3 pairs, inconspicuous; petiole 1–4 mm long. Inflorescence umbellate, with 2–4 flowers; peduncle 0.7–1.2 cm long. Flowers white; homostylous; stamens and style all inserted in corolla tube. Calyx base only slightly connate; tube 0.2 mm long, glabrous, lobed nearly to the base, lobes narrowly deltoid, 0.5–0.8 by 0.5–0.7 mm, apex acute, erect, margin hispidulous. Corolla tube 0.4–0.6 mm long; lobes 0.8–1.2 by 0.6–1 mm, acute, villous. Stamens 0.2 mm long; anther white, ovate, 0.3 mm long. Style 0.5–0.7 mm long; stigma capitates, ca 0.1 mm long. Capsules obovate, widest at calyx base, 2.5–3 by 2.5–3.2 mm, smooth or with low wings, top of capsule bilobed, exserted over calyx lobes. Seeds 16–50 per locule, 0.25–0.3 by 0.2–0.25 mm.


Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai, Tak (Mae Mo); EASTERN: Surin; SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi (Wangka), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Pak Kwan); CENTRAL: Pathum Thani, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok); PENINSULAR: Surat Thani (Ko Tao), Krabi, Songkhla (Kao Seng Hill).


Distribution : Tropical and subtropical Asia (India to Japan, China and throughout Malesia, lectotype from Sri Lanka) to the Pacific Islands.


Ecology : Open places, 0–200 m alt. Flowering throughout the year.


Vernacular : Phak khuang (ผักขวง), mak dip nam khang (หมากดิบน้ำค้าง), sadao din (สะเดาดิน)(Bangkok).


Notes: Leptopetalum biflorum is distinguished by its capsules having indistinct ribs, and the calyx lobed essentially to base, with the tubular portion reduced, the capsule protruding over the calyx lobes.


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