Taxillus umbellifer
(Schult.f.) Danser in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, Ser. 3, 11: 445.
1931. Loranthus umbellifer Schult.f., Syst. Veg. 7(1): 97. 1829; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 211. 1886,
p. p. L. umbellatus Wall. in Roxb., Fl. Ind., eds. Carey & Wall. 2: 222. 1824, non Roth 1821.
Scurrula umbellifera (Schult.f.) G.Don, Gen. Hist. 3: 421. 1834.
Branches lenticellate, greyish, covered with dark brown candelabra hairs intermixed with
stellate hairs when young, glabrous when old. Leaves opposite, rarely alternate, elliptic-ovate
to oblong-elliptic, acute to attenuating towards base, undulate along margins, acute to obtuse
at apex, (4 -) 7.5 - 10 x (2 -) 2.5 - 5 cm, with dense hairs as in branches; lateral nerves 4 - 7 pairs;
petioles 5 - 13 mm long. Inflorescences usually peduncled compound dichasia of umbels,
axillary or sometimes at leafless nodes; peduncle solitary (or in pairs), 3 or 4 flowered, 0.5 - 4 mm
long; flower buds clavate to spathulate, 1 - 1.3 cm long, evanescently hairy. Flowers 1.5 - 4 cm
long; pedicels 1.2 - 1.5 cm long; bracts broadly ovate to suborbicular, 0.8 - 1 x 0.4 - 0.5 mm.
Calyculus ovoid, with annular rim and obscurely 4-toohted, rusty pubescent. Petals united;
tube terete or slightly gibbous, 1 - 1.3 cm long with median split up to half the length, brownish
green with reddish base outside; lobes 4, unilaterally reflexed, oblong, 4 - 6 mm long. Stamens
erect; filaments 2 - 3 mm long; anthers linear-oblong, 1 - 1.2 mm long. Ovary clavate, 2 - 3 mm
long, smooth; style filiform, 10 - 15 mm long; stigma conical, papillate. Fruits pyriform, pilose,
rugose, 8 - 10 x 2 - 2.5 mm, smooth.
Fl. & Fr. July - Jan.
Distrib. India: Subtropical and temperate forests, 600 - 2300 m altitudes, found on Styrax serrulatus in evergreen forests. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya.
Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and China.
Notes. Vessel pittings alternate; few vessel members with large circular lateral openings; fibres moderately thick-walled, broad-lumened with or without reduced pits.
Pollen 3-lobed; P - 24 (26.1) 29 µm; E - 38 (40.7) 43 µm; P/E - 0.63 µm; ex. 2 µm; col. 1 µm.
Fl. & Fr. July - Jan.
Distrib. India: Subtropical and temperate forests, 600 - 2300 m altitudes, found on Styrax serrulatus in evergreen forests. Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya.
Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and China.
Notes. Vessel pittings alternate; few vessel members with large circular lateral openings; fibres moderately thick-walled, broad-lumened with or without reduced pits.
Pollen 3-lobed; P - 24 (26.1) 29 µm; E - 38 (40.7) 43 µm; P/E - 0.63 µm; ex. 2 µm; col. 1 µm.
