Daphniphyllum glaucescens
Blume, Bijdr. Fl. Ned. Ind. 1153. 1826-27; Müll.Arg. in
DC., Prodr. 16(1): 3. 1869; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 353. 1887, sensu lato. Goughia neilgherrensis
Wight, Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 5: 22, tt. 1878 & 1879. 1852. Daphniphyllum neilgherrense (Wight)
Thwaites, Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 290. 1861; Gamble, Fl. Madras 2(7): 1311. 1925 (repr. ed. 2: 917. 1957).
D. roxburghiana sensu Bedd., Fl. Sylv. S. India t. 288. 1872, non Baill., 1838. D. glaucescens
ssp. neilgherrense (Wight) Huang in Taiwania 12: 195. 1966.
Badaga (Nilgiri hills): Nir-chappay, Nir-kocki.
Trees, 3 – 4 m high. Leaves oblong-obovate to elliptic-oblong, acute to sub-cuneate at base, rounded and occasionally apiculate at apex, 7 – 20 x 2 – 8 (- 11) cm, coriaceous, often glaucous beneath; lateral nerves 7 – 12 per side, prominent; tertiary nerves prominent above and beneath, reticulate; minor venation usually forming conspicuous reticulum on the upper surface; petioles 1.5 –5 cm long, purplish towards upper portion. Inflorescences axillary; male racemes 2 - 3 cm long; female racemes ca 2 cm long, sometimes umbellate. Male flowers: pedicels 3 – 5 mm long; calyx irregularly 4 – 6-lobed; lobes ovate, 1 – 1.5 x 0.6 – 1 mm; stamens 5 – 8; filaments ca 0.5 mm long; anthers 1 – 2 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 2.5 – 8 mm long, elongating up to 13 mm in fruit; calyx irregularly 4 – 6-lobed; lobes ovate to oblong-elliptic, 1 – 2 x 0.6 – 1.2 mm; ovary ovoid, ca 1 x 0.6 mm; stigmas 2, ca 1 mm long, divergent, recurved, papillose, carinate beneath. Fruits oblong-ellipsoid, 10 – 13 x 6 – 9 mm, black or brown when dry, 1-seeded.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. – June; also Oct. – next year April.
Distrib. India: Common in evergreen shola forests, between (1200 -) 1500 – 2500 m altitudes. Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka, China and Indonesia.
Trees, 3 – 4 m high. Leaves oblong-obovate to elliptic-oblong, acute to sub-cuneate at base, rounded and occasionally apiculate at apex, 7 – 20 x 2 – 8 (- 11) cm, coriaceous, often glaucous beneath; lateral nerves 7 – 12 per side, prominent; tertiary nerves prominent above and beneath, reticulate; minor venation usually forming conspicuous reticulum on the upper surface; petioles 1.5 –5 cm long, purplish towards upper portion. Inflorescences axillary; male racemes 2 - 3 cm long; female racemes ca 2 cm long, sometimes umbellate. Male flowers: pedicels 3 – 5 mm long; calyx irregularly 4 – 6-lobed; lobes ovate, 1 – 1.5 x 0.6 – 1 mm; stamens 5 – 8; filaments ca 0.5 mm long; anthers 1 – 2 mm long. Female flowers: pedicels 2.5 – 8 mm long, elongating up to 13 mm in fruit; calyx irregularly 4 – 6-lobed; lobes ovate to oblong-elliptic, 1 – 2 x 0.6 – 1.2 mm; ovary ovoid, ca 1 x 0.6 mm; stigmas 2, ca 1 mm long, divergent, recurved, papillose, carinate beneath. Fruits oblong-ellipsoid, 10 – 13 x 6 – 9 mm, black or brown when dry, 1-seeded.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. – June; also Oct. – next year April.
Distrib. India: Common in evergreen shola forests, between (1200 -) 1500 – 2500 m altitudes. Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka, China and Indonesia.
