Ampelocissus wightiana
Shetty & P. Singh in Kew Bull. 44: 469.
1989. Vitis erioclada auct. non. Wight & Arn. 1833: Wight & Arn., Prodr.
130. 1834, p.p.; M. Lawson in Fl. Brit. India. 1: 651. 1875. p.p.
Ampelocissus
erioclada Planchon in J. Vigne Amer. 8: 375. 1884.
Stout climbing shrubs; branches terete, hollow, floccose-woolly. Leaves
simple, ovate-orbicular, sometimes shallowly 3-lobed, deeply cordate at base,
corarsely glandular-dentate at margins, 10-25 x 8-20 cm, acuminate at apex,
membranous, floccose-woolly, especially on nerves beneath; petioles 5-9.5
cm long. Inflorescences thick, branched panicles of cymes, floccose-woolly;
peduncles 5-14 (-20) cm long; tendrils simple, 10-45 cm long; primary branch
of inflorescence 2-5.5 (-12) cm long; panicles 4-8 (-12) cm long. Flowers
ca 1.75 mm long. Calyx saucer-shaped, truncate or obscurely 5-lobed, woolly.
Petals oblong-ovate, ca 1.5 x 0.7 mm glabrous. Stamens ca 1 mm long. Disc
almost covering the ovary, 5-furrowed. Ovary ca 1 mm across, glabrous; stigma.
sessile. Berries globose, ca 1.25 cm across. Seeds obovate or suborbicular
in outline, ca 8 x 7 mm; adaxial surface with a prominent longitudinal ridge,
incurved and crenate at margin; abaxial surface with a clavate chalazal knot
and fine rays radiating towards margin.
Fl. & Fr. : June - Sept.
Distrib. India : In evergreen forests of Courtallam, Kannikati and Muthukuz Vayal, up to 1000 m. Tamil Nadu. Rare
Sri Lanka.
Fl. & Fr. : June - Sept.
Distrib. India : In evergreen forests of Courtallam, Kannikati and Muthukuz Vayal, up to 1000 m. Tamil Nadu. Rare
Sri Lanka.