Vatica L.

Resinous trees, sometimes shrubs; crown irregular, oblong with sympodial branches; trunk buttressed; bark smooth, patched with dark colours. Leaves very variable in size and shape, coriaceous, nerves curved, usually somewhat oblique to the midrib, tertiary nerves reticulate; stipules small, fugaceous. Flowers fragrant in terminal or axillary, panicled spikes or racemes. Flower buds ovoid to lanceolate. Calyx tube very short, adnate to the base of ovary, lobes acute, imbricate becoming valvate. Corolla lobes usually pale creamy-white, narrowly oblong, erect. Stamens usually 15 in 3 verticils of which 10 (5 pairs) opposite to sepals; filaments of 10 outer stamens very short, those of 5 inner much longer; anthers short, glabrous, cells very unequal, diverging at base, appendage of connective obtuse. Ovary either free or half immersed in obconical receptacle, more or less broadly ovoid, conical, usually hairy, often pitted, 3-locular; styles usually shorter than ovary, often ribbed and furrowed, glabrous; stigmas capitate or conical, entire or 3-toothed, prominent. Fruit variable in size, coriaceous, 3-valved, 1 - 2-seeded, broadly ovoid or globose, free or partially embeded in calyx tube with or without a distinct apical persistent style; fruiting calyx variable.

S. and S.E.Asia from India eastwards to New Guinea, ca 87 species; 2 in India.

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Young shoots and inflorescences lepidote; leaves narrowly ovate to oblong with obtuse to broadly cuneate base; petioles 2- 5 cm long; fruits densely, persistent pinkish mauve puberulent

1. Vatica chinensis

b. Young shoots and inflorescences mealy puberulous, becoming glabrescent; leaves elliptic-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate with cuneate base; petioles up to 2 cm long; fruits brown velvety pubescent, ultimately glabrous and rough

2. Vatica lanceaefolia

List of Lower Taxa