Connarus monocarpus
L., Sp. Pl. 675. 1753; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India
2: 50. 1876; Schellenb. in Engl., Das Pflanzenr. 103: 284. 1938.
Scandent shrubs, up to 5 m tall or lianas, up to 25 (-40) m; outer bark
striate-reticulate, minutely pustular with numerous lenticels; young branches
glabrous or ferrugenous-tomentose. Leaves 1 - 4-jugate, obscurely pulvinate and
wrinkled at the base; leaflets ovate-oblong or ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, 4 -
14 x 2.5 - 7 cm, apex caudate-acuminate, often twisted, cuneate, obtuse or rounded
to subcordate at base, glabrous, shiny on the upper surface, pale with many,
minute, brown scales beneath, juveniles flush coppery brown; nerves 3 - 8 pairs,
venation inconspicuously or distinctly reticulate; petiolules up to 5 mm long.
Flowers in terminal, erect, irregularly pyramidal paniculate cymes, ferruginious
tomentose; bracts less than 1 mm long. Sepals narrowly triangular or ovate-oblong, 2 - 3.5 x 1.25 - 1.5 mm, outer surface densely pubescent or puberulous,
margin ciliate. Petals linear-oblanceolate, 6 - 10 mm long, cuneate to tapering
at base, acute to slightly rounded at apex, densely minutely tomentose or
pubescent, a few stipitate glands present on the inner surface, margin ciliate.
Stamens in 2 whorls; outer whorl antisepalous, up to 8 mm long; inner shorter,
up to 2 mm long, all fertjle or inner sterile. Ovary globose-subglobose, densely
pubescent, brownish; style slender. Follicles obliquely ellipsoid-fusiform,
compressed, 3 - 5 x 1 - 2 cm, apiculate, tapering below into a narrow stalk,
surrounded at the base by the persistent calyx and petals; pericarp leathery,
naviculate, outer surface with longitudinal striations, glabrous or densely pubescent
within, pale yellow. Seed single, ovoid, 2 x 1.2 cm, compressed, reniform,
shining, with lobed aril at the base.
KEY TO THE SUBSPECIES
| 1a. Lianas, up to 25 (-40) m; young branches glabrous; leaves 2 - 4-jugate; leaflets ovate-elliptic to lanceolate; venation inconspicuously reticulate; sepals up to 2 mm long; valves of follicles densely pubescent within | 3.1. malayensis |
| b. Scandent shrubs, up to 5 m; young branches ferrugenous. tomentose; leaves 1 - 2-jugate; leaflets ovate-oblong; venation distinctly reticulate; sepals 3 - 3.5 mm long; valves of follicles glabrous within | 3.2. monocarpus |
