Helixanthera parasitica
Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 1: 142. 1790. Loranthus pentapetalus
Roxb., Fl. Ind., eds. Carey & Wall. 2: 211. 1824; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 206. 1886.
Nep.: Sanu-aijaru.
Shrubs, glabrous. Leaves opposite, narrowly or broadly elliptic-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, with alternating rounded or cuneate base, entire along margins, acute to acuminate at apex, 6.5 - 12 x 1.5 - 5 cm, subcoriaceous, glabrous; lateral nerves 5 - 7 pairs; petioles 0.5 - 1.5 cm long. Inflorescences axillary, centripetal pseudoracemes; peduncles 1 – 3-together, 12 - 15-flowered, 8 - 12 cm long, cinnamomeous conchiform hairy; flower buds ossiform with distinctly raised and curved ribs at base, geniculate, 7.8 - 8.5 mm long. Flowers 4 or 5-merous, horizontal, 12 - 13 mm long, bright red, minutely conchiform hairy; bracts ovate and cucullate, acute, 1 - 1.2 x 0.8 - 1 mm; pedicels 1.2 - 1.5 mm long. Calyculus cupular, entire, truncate, ca 0.5 mm long. Petals 4 or 5, cohering towards base, ultimately spreading, linear or obovate, abruptly inflated and winged at base, 5 - 5.8 mm long. Stamens 4 or 5, erect, exserted; filaments 2.5 - 3 mm long. Ovary tetragonous, rough, oblong, 2 - 2.5 mm long; style 4 or 5-angled, articulated at one-third high above base, 3 - 3.5 mm long; stigma slightly bilobed, capitate. Fruits broadly ellipsoid, truncate, abruptly constricted above with persistent stylar scar, 6 - 8 x 4 - 5 mm, smooth, crimson-red, cinnamomeous brown conchiform hairs.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Aug.
Distrib. India: Tropical and subtropical warm evergreen forests, up to 1800 m altitude, found on restricted number of hosts, i. e. Dillenia sp., Antidesma acidum, Litsea polyantha, Quercus dealbata and Vatica lanceolata. West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya.
Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.
Notes. This species is characterised by the presence of basally inflated 4 or 5-angled ossiform flower-buds and articulated style.
Vessels with scalariform pitting; fibres excessively thick-walled with reduced lumen and with reduced pits.
Pollen triangular; P - 15 (17.2) 21 µm; E - 25 (30.2) 33 µm; P/E - 0.51 µm; ex. 1.5 µm; col. 0.5 µm.
Shrubs, glabrous. Leaves opposite, narrowly or broadly elliptic-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, with alternating rounded or cuneate base, entire along margins, acute to acuminate at apex, 6.5 - 12 x 1.5 - 5 cm, subcoriaceous, glabrous; lateral nerves 5 - 7 pairs; petioles 0.5 - 1.5 cm long. Inflorescences axillary, centripetal pseudoracemes; peduncles 1 – 3-together, 12 - 15-flowered, 8 - 12 cm long, cinnamomeous conchiform hairy; flower buds ossiform with distinctly raised and curved ribs at base, geniculate, 7.8 - 8.5 mm long. Flowers 4 or 5-merous, horizontal, 12 - 13 mm long, bright red, minutely conchiform hairy; bracts ovate and cucullate, acute, 1 - 1.2 x 0.8 - 1 mm; pedicels 1.2 - 1.5 mm long. Calyculus cupular, entire, truncate, ca 0.5 mm long. Petals 4 or 5, cohering towards base, ultimately spreading, linear or obovate, abruptly inflated and winged at base, 5 - 5.8 mm long. Stamens 4 or 5, erect, exserted; filaments 2.5 - 3 mm long. Ovary tetragonous, rough, oblong, 2 - 2.5 mm long; style 4 or 5-angled, articulated at one-third high above base, 3 - 3.5 mm long; stigma slightly bilobed, capitate. Fruits broadly ellipsoid, truncate, abruptly constricted above with persistent stylar scar, 6 - 8 x 4 - 5 mm, smooth, crimson-red, cinnamomeous brown conchiform hairs.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Aug.
Distrib. India: Tropical and subtropical warm evergreen forests, up to 1800 m altitude, found on restricted number of hosts, i. e. Dillenia sp., Antidesma acidum, Litsea polyantha, Quercus dealbata and Vatica lanceolata. West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya.
Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines.
Notes. This species is characterised by the presence of basally inflated 4 or 5-angled ossiform flower-buds and articulated style.
Vessels with scalariform pitting; fibres excessively thick-walled with reduced lumen and with reduced pits.
Pollen triangular; P - 15 (17.2) 21 µm; E - 25 (30.2) 33 µm; P/E - 0.51 µm; ex. 1.5 µm; col. 0.5 µm.
