Homonoia retusa
(J.Graham ex Wight) Müll.Arg. in Linnaea 34: 200. 1865 & in DC.,
Prodr. 15(2): 1022. 1866; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 456. 1887. Adelia retusa J.Graham ex Wight,
Icon. Pl. Ind. Orient. 5: t. 1869. 1852.
Tam.: Aattuchendu.
Shrubs, 2 - 3 m high; branchlets puberulous or glabrous. Leaves lanceolate to spathulatelanceolate or obovate to oblanceolate, cuneate at base, serrate-dentate along margins towards upper portion, rarely entire, rounded, obtuse or retuse, 1.7 - 4.5 x 1 - 2.7 cm, coriaceous, glabrous above, sparsely glandular with minute orbicular glands and scales beneath; lateral nerves 5 - 10 pairs; petioles absent or 3 - 7 mm long, pubescent; stipules subulate, ca 1 mm long, caducous. Inflorescences axillary, few to many-flowered spikes, 1 - 2 cm long; bracts ovate, 1.5 - 2 mm long, pubescent; bracteoles 2, ovate-lanceolate, ca 5 mm across. Male flowers: sepals 3, ovate, concave, 4 - 6 mm long; stamens numerous; anthers red, with 2 divaricate subglobose thecae. Female flowers: calyx spathaceous, splitting into 5 - 8 lobes, minutely pubescent, caducous; ovary 2 - 3 mm across, appressed pubescent; styles 3, connate at base, recurved at apex, 1.5 - 2 mm long, densely papillose. Fruits globose, 2-valved, 2 - 5 mm across, dark brown, puberulous.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Nov.
Distrib. India: Riverbeds and rapids on rocky or stony beds, often seen associated with Tamarix sp. or Polygonum sp. Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Endemic.
Shrubs, 2 - 3 m high; branchlets puberulous or glabrous. Leaves lanceolate to spathulatelanceolate or obovate to oblanceolate, cuneate at base, serrate-dentate along margins towards upper portion, rarely entire, rounded, obtuse or retuse, 1.7 - 4.5 x 1 - 2.7 cm, coriaceous, glabrous above, sparsely glandular with minute orbicular glands and scales beneath; lateral nerves 5 - 10 pairs; petioles absent or 3 - 7 mm long, pubescent; stipules subulate, ca 1 mm long, caducous. Inflorescences axillary, few to many-flowered spikes, 1 - 2 cm long; bracts ovate, 1.5 - 2 mm long, pubescent; bracteoles 2, ovate-lanceolate, ca 5 mm across. Male flowers: sepals 3, ovate, concave, 4 - 6 mm long; stamens numerous; anthers red, with 2 divaricate subglobose thecae. Female flowers: calyx spathaceous, splitting into 5 - 8 lobes, minutely pubescent, caducous; ovary 2 - 3 mm across, appressed pubescent; styles 3, connate at base, recurved at apex, 1.5 - 2 mm long, densely papillose. Fruits globose, 2-valved, 2 - 5 mm across, dark brown, puberulous.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Nov.
Distrib. India: Riverbeds and rapids on rocky or stony beds, often seen associated with Tamarix sp. or Polygonum sp. Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Endemic.
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