Volume 16 > Part 1 > Year 2022 > Page 99 > Annonaceae > Fissistigma

9. Fissistigma ovoideum (King) Merr.wfo-0000691184

Philipp. J. Sci. 15: 134. 1919; I.M.Turner, Gard. Bull. Singapore 70: 482. 2018.— Melodorum latifolium var. ovoideum King, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Part 2, Nat. Hist. 61: 106. 1892; Craib, Fl. Siam. 1: 56. 1925.— Fissistigma latifolium var. ovoideum (King) J.Sinclair, Gard. Bull. Singapore 14: 359. 1955. Plate XI: A.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Woody climber. Twigs golden to greyish brown-pubescent. Leaves chartaceous, lanceolate to oblong, 11.5–17 by 3.7–6.5 cm, base rounded, apex obtuse, acute, or acuminate, the acumen 3–8 mm long, glabrous except for rusty pubescence on midrib above, uniformly erect-pubescent below, secondary veins 16–23 per side, tertiary venation prominent below; petioles 8–16 mm long, of even thickness from midpoint to leaf blade. Inflorescences terminal, ca 7-flowered, racemose with an extended rachis ca 6 cm long, pedicels 13–22 mm long, each bearing 1 bract 3–6 mm long attached near the pedicel base; buds ovoid, obtuse. Sepals triangular, coriaceous, 2–4.5 mm long, obtuse, coarsely and densely golden brown-pubescent. Petals fleshy; outer petals linear-lanceolate, 18–22 by 5–7 mm, obtuse; inner petals ovate-lanceolate, 8–12 by 3–5 mm, acute. Stamens ca 1.2 mm long, anther connective apex triangular, acute. Carpels numerous, ovaries ovoid-ellipsoid, 2.5–3 mm long, stigmas oblong, curved, U-shaped. Fruit of up to 15 monocarps borne on a pedicel up to 17 mm long. Monocarps brown, ellipsoid to oblongoid, 3.2–5 by 2.2–3.2 cm, strongly ridged and rugose longitudinally, finely golden brown-pubescent, apex a broad beak ca 2 mm long, stipe 23–31 by 4.5–5.5 mm; pericarp 2–3 mm thick. Seeds in one or two rows, up to 11 per monocarp, flattened-ellipsoid or semicircular and flattened, 12–16 mm by 7.5–10 mm, smooth, shiny, dark brown to black.

Thailand : PENINSULAR: Trang, Phatthalung, Narathiwat.

Distribution : Peninsular Malaysia (type), Singapore.

Ecology : Tropical rain forests, 50–575 m alt. Flowering: May; fruiting: July–September.

Notes: The large ridged monocarps are unique among Thai species, and the racemose inflorescence is shared with Fissistigma kingii, which has a dull red indument and upper and lower leaf surfaces contrasting in colour, and F. fulgens, which has smaller and more acuminate leaves and smaller flowers. The fruit pulp is abundant and light pink when fresh.