Fissistigma ellipticum (King) D. Mitra in Bull. Bot. Surv. India (ined.) Melodorom polyanthum Hook. f. & Thomson var. ellipticum King in Ann. R. Bot. Gard. Calc. 4: 131. 1893. Fissistigma polyanthum (Hook. f. & Thomson) Merr. var. ellipticum (King) Sinclair in Bull. Bot. Soc. Beng. 9(2): 86. 1955.

Climbers; young branches rufous tomentose. Leaves broadly elliptic, slightly cordate at base, obtuse or abruptly short acuminate at apex, 17 - 28 x 9 - 14 cm, sparsely appressed pubescent above, more or less rufous tomentose beneath, glabrescent with age; main lateral nerves 22 - 27 pairs; petioles 1 - 1.5 cm long, rufous pubescent to glabrescent. Flowers bisexual, in extra-axillary leaf-opposed few-flowered cymes; peduncles minute or absent; pedicels ca 1 cm long, rufous pubescent; bract at the middle of the pedicel, ovate, obtuse, ca 2 mm long, pubescent. Sepals 3, connate at base, broadly ovate, subacute, ca 2.5 x 2 mm, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Petals 6 (3 + 3); outer ones oblong-ovate, subacute, 7 - 10 x ca 5 mm, fleshy, rufous pubescent outside, glabrous inside; inner ones 4 - 5 x ca 2 mm, pubescent at the ridge and tip outside, glabrous inside. Stamens numerous, ca 1 mm long; connectives broad, recurved at top; filaments short. Carpels few, linear, ca 2 mm long; ovules ca 8 in 2 rows; style prominent; stigma bilobed. Ripe carpels not seen.

Fl. March.

Distrib. India: Assam.

Notes. This species is closely allied to Fissistigma polyanthum (Hook. f. & Thomson) Merr. but differs from the latter by its larger, broadly elliptic leaves, very short extra-axillary peduncle with longer pedicels, smaller sepals connate at the base and the larger oblong-ovate petals.

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