Dichapetalum
Thouars
Trees, shrubs or lianas, monoecious or dioecious. Leaves apparently distichous,
usually thickened along margins by a nerve; stipules deciduous. Inflorescence axillary
or seemingly terminal on leafless shoots or epiphyllous umbels or reduced to 1 or 2
flowers. Flowers 5-merous, bi-or unisexual, hypogynous or slightly epigynous. Sepals
slightly united at base, ovate, pubescent on both sides. Petals free, clawed, bipartite or
bifid, white. Stamens 5, free or slightly adnate to petals; anthers as long as wide. Disk
of 5 glands, intrastaminal. Pistil 2-or 3-carpellary; ovary 2-or 3-locular; styles free or
connate at base; stigmas apical. Fruit a drupe or dehiscent exposing orange to scarlet
thin mesocarp, lobed or not, usually tomentose or glabrescent, orange-brown, greyish
or yellowish, with or without sutures; endocarp crustaceous; stones 1 - 3, slightly united,
1-seeded; cotyledons planoconvex.
Africa, Asia, northern Australia to Malesia; ca 200 species, 3 in India.
Literature. LEENHOUTS, P.W. (1956) Florae Malesianae prae-eursores 12 (Dichapetalaceae). Some notes on the genus Diehapetalum (Diehapetalaeeae) in Asia, Australia and Melanesia. Reinward-tia 4: 75-87.
Africa, Asia, northern Australia to Malesia; ca 200 species, 3 in India.
Literature. LEENHOUTS, P.W. (1956) Florae Malesianae prae-eursores 12 (Dichapetalaceae). Some notes on the genus Diehapetalum (Diehapetalaeeae) in Asia, Australia and Melanesia. Reinward-tia 4: 75-87.
KEY TO THE SPECIES
| 1a. Inflorescence usually 5 - 7 cm long; drupes unlobed, without sutures | 3. Dichapetalum timoriense |
| b. Infloreszence 0.75 - 4 cm long; drupes lobed, with distinct slttures | 2 |
| 2a. Inflorescence usually 0.75 - 1 cm long; drupes 1(-2)-lobed; lobes reniform | 1. Dichapetalum gelonioides |
| b. Inflorescence 1 - 4 cm long; drupes (2-)3-lobed; lobes obovate | 2. Dichapetalum platyphyllum |
