Decaschistia Wight & Arn.

Shrubs or herbs, tomentose. Leaves coriaceous entire, serrate or lobed, densely pubescent on both surfaces, middle nerve with a nectary near its base on lower surface. Flowers shortly pedicelled, axillary or clustered in uppermost axils or at tips of branches. Epicalyx segments 10, unequally connate at base. Calyx 5-lobed, connate at base, lobes linear, acute or acuminate. Petals 5, connate at base and adnate to staminal tube, broader above, twisted. Staminal column antheriferous throughout. Ovary 10-loculed; styler-branches 10 with capitate stigmas. Capsules depressed globose, loculicidally 10-valved, valves attached to a short conical 10-angled central column by their bases. Seeds reniform, ascending.

Tropical Asia and Australia, ca 17 species; 4 in India - all endemic..

KEY TO THE SPECIES

1a. Middle and lower leaves not lobed, ovate or ovate-lanceolate

2

b. Middle and lower leaves deeply trilobed

4. Decaschistia trilobata

2a. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute at apex, serrate or nearly entire; stem with dense white tomentum; seeds glabrous

1. Decasehistia crotonifolia

b. Leaves ovate to rounded, obtuse at apex; nearly entire; stem with reddish-yellow tomentum; seeds sparsely pubescent

3

3a. Leaves almost orbicular(3.5 - 7.5 x 4 - 7 cm), rounded at apex; petioles ca 1.5 - 3.5 cm; calyx lobes 1 - 1.2 cm long

3. Decaschistia rufa

b. Leaves ovate or oblong (8 - 13 x 5 - 8 cm), obtuse at apex; petioles 1 - 1.5 cm; calyx lobes 1.6 - 2 cm long

2. Decaschistia cuddapahensis

List of Lower Taxa