Volume 16 > Part 1 > Year 2022 > Page 103 > Annonaceae > Fissistigma

12. Fissistigma thorelii (Pierre ex Finet & Gagnep.) Merr.wfo-0000691212

Philipp. J. Sci. 15: 136. 1919; I.M.Turner, Gard. Bull. Singapore 70: 487. 2018.— Melodorum thorelii Pierre ex Finet & Gagnep., Bull. Soc. Bot. France 53, Mém. 4: 133. 1906; Finet & Gagnep. in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 1: 97 + pl. 14A. 1907. Plate XI: E.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Woody climber to 10 m. Twigs densely orange-pubescent, eventually sparsely pubescent to glabrate. Leaves subcoriaceous, oblong-oblanceolate, ovate-elliptic, or obovate, 14.4–19.3 by 5.9–9.1 cm, base rounded to slightly subcordate, apex rounded, sometimes with a short mucro, sparsely pubescent but denser on midrib above, densely pubescent below, secondary veins 16–21 per side, tertiary venation prominent below; petioles 4–12 mm long, of even thickness from midpoint to leaf blade. Inflorescences leaf-opposed, sometimes slightly proximal to the node, 4–10-flowered, peduncle 2–4 mm long, pedicels 19–26 mm long, bearing 2 bracts up to 7 mm long; buds linear. Sepals ovate to triangular, coriaceous, 5.3–7 mm long, acute to acuminate with the tips often reflexed, densely orange-pubescent. Petals coriaceous, cream-coloured or pale brown; outer petals linear, 37–50 by 5.2–5.5 mm, acute; inner petals linear, 26–39 by ca 3 mm, acute. Stamens oblong, 0.9–1.5 mm long, anther connective apex truncate. Ovaries densely orange-pubescent, stigmas clavate. Receptacle flat, not elevated. Fruit of up to 11 monocarps borne on a pedicel up to 18 mm long. Monocarps green to yellow, globose, 2.9–3.8 by 2.7–3.6 cm, covered with prominent irregularly winged ridges 5–9 mm high, densely orange-pubescent, apex rounded, stipe 18–22(–49) mm long, 3.5–4.3 mm thick; pericarp ca 2 mm thick. Seeds in two rows, up to 10 per monocarp, semicircular, ca 16 by 10 mm, orange-brown.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Phrae; NORTH-EASTERN: Nong Khai (Phonphisai); SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi (Thong Pha Phum), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Kaeng Krachan); SOUTH-EASTERN: Chanthaburi (Pong Nam Ron); PENINSULAR: Satun.

Distribution : Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam (type).

Ecology : Evergreen forests, evergreen seasonal forests, and dipterocarp forests near stream, 10–940 m alt. Flowering: January, April, May, August, and September; fruiting: March, May, and June.

Notes: The conspicuous orange pubescence of all parts of plant, long truncate oblanceolate leaves, extremely long petals, and monocarps covered with wings and ridges distinguish it from all other species in Thailand. The hairs from the lower leaf surface often form a bordering fringe to the leaf, visible from above. The species was collected from Nong Khai by Thorel in 1866–1868, but the locality was reported by Finet & Gagnepain in Lecomte (1907) as being in Laos.