Cleistanthus myrianthus
(Hassk.) Kurz, Prelim. Rep. For. Veg. Pegu, App. A: p. cx, App.
B: 79, in clavi. 1875 & Forest Fl. Burma 2: 370. 1877; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 275. 1887;
C.E.Parkinson, Forest Fl. Andaman Isl. 237. 1923; Chakrab. & N.P.Balakr. in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot.
Addit. Ser. 9: 46. 1992. Nanopetalum myrianthum Hassk., Verslagen Meded. Afd. Natuurk.
Kon. Akad. Wetensch. 4: 141. 1855. Cleistanthus oblongifolius auct. non (Roxb.) Müll.Arg.,
1866: Chakrab. et al. in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 26: 339. 2002, p. p., excl. specim. cit. Bangladesh;
N.P.Balakr. & Chakrab., Fam. Euphorb. India 325. 2007, p. p.
Hindi (Andamans): Lal-bali.
Trees, 5 – 20 m high; young shoots rufous-sericeous; branchlets tomentellous, glabrous in age. Leaves elliptic, oblong to oblong-elliptic, acute, obtuse to rounded at base, caudate or acuminate at apex, 6 – 30 x 1.5 – 8 cm, coriaceous, glabrous and mostly glossy above, densely brown, silvery or coppery appressed-sericeous beneath; lateral nerves 5 - 12 per side; petioles 3 – 15 x 1 – 3 mm, scattered puberulous. Glomerules few-flowered, 5 – 10 mm across, borne on main leafy branches and leafless or small-leaved branchlets (1 - 10 cm long); bracts deltoidovate, ca 0.5 mm long. Male flowers: sessile, glabrous; calyx tube ca 2 x 3 mm; sepals triangular or triangular-lanceolate, 1.5 – 2.5 x 1 - 2 mm; petals flabellate-unguiculate, ca 1 x 0.8 mm; disc annular; stamens 3 – 3.5 mm long; column ca 1.5 mm long; filaments ca 1 mm long; anthers ellipsoid-oblong, ca 0.8 mm long; pistillode ovoid, trifid. Female flowers: sessile, 4 – 5 mm across, glabrous; calyx tube ca 1 x 1.5 mm; sepals triangular, 1.5 – 3 x 1 – 1.5 mm; petals flabellate, spathulate or suborbicular, ca 1 mm across; outer disc flat; inner disc cupular or subconical and covering the ovary at least halfway; ovary trigonous-globose, 1.5 - 2 mm across, glabrous, shortly stipitate; styles 1.5 - 2 mm long, bifid. Fruits subglobose, 7 - 11 x 11 - 15 mm, 3-lobed, somewhat depressed, intruded at apex, sometimes muricate, blackish when dry; stipe 2 – 6 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Dec. – July.
Distrib. India: Common in deciduous to inland evergreen forests, often along streams on clayey or rocky soil or sandy loam at low altitudes. Andaman Islands.
Myanmar, Indo-China, Thailand, throughout Malesia to New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Australia.
Uses. The timber is used for house posts and beams.
Trees, 5 – 20 m high; young shoots rufous-sericeous; branchlets tomentellous, glabrous in age. Leaves elliptic, oblong to oblong-elliptic, acute, obtuse to rounded at base, caudate or acuminate at apex, 6 – 30 x 1.5 – 8 cm, coriaceous, glabrous and mostly glossy above, densely brown, silvery or coppery appressed-sericeous beneath; lateral nerves 5 - 12 per side; petioles 3 – 15 x 1 – 3 mm, scattered puberulous. Glomerules few-flowered, 5 – 10 mm across, borne on main leafy branches and leafless or small-leaved branchlets (1 - 10 cm long); bracts deltoidovate, ca 0.5 mm long. Male flowers: sessile, glabrous; calyx tube ca 2 x 3 mm; sepals triangular or triangular-lanceolate, 1.5 – 2.5 x 1 - 2 mm; petals flabellate-unguiculate, ca 1 x 0.8 mm; disc annular; stamens 3 – 3.5 mm long; column ca 1.5 mm long; filaments ca 1 mm long; anthers ellipsoid-oblong, ca 0.8 mm long; pistillode ovoid, trifid. Female flowers: sessile, 4 – 5 mm across, glabrous; calyx tube ca 1 x 1.5 mm; sepals triangular, 1.5 – 3 x 1 – 1.5 mm; petals flabellate, spathulate or suborbicular, ca 1 mm across; outer disc flat; inner disc cupular or subconical and covering the ovary at least halfway; ovary trigonous-globose, 1.5 - 2 mm across, glabrous, shortly stipitate; styles 1.5 - 2 mm long, bifid. Fruits subglobose, 7 - 11 x 11 - 15 mm, 3-lobed, somewhat depressed, intruded at apex, sometimes muricate, blackish when dry; stipe 2 – 6 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Dec. – July.
Distrib. India: Common in deciduous to inland evergreen forests, often along streams on clayey or rocky soil or sandy loam at low altitudes. Andaman Islands.
Myanmar, Indo-China, Thailand, throughout Malesia to New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Australia.
Uses. The timber is used for house posts and beams.
