Drypetes assamica
(Hook.f) Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.xv (heft 81): 241.
1922; Kanjilal et al., Fl. Assam 4: 179. 1940; N.P.Balakr., Fl. Jowai 2: 423. 1983. Cyclostemon
assamicus Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 342. 1887; Prain, Bengal Pl. 2: 937. 1903; Haines, Bot. Bihar
Orissa 2: 136. 1921; Duthie, Fl. Gangetic Plain 3(1): 100. 1915; C.E.Parkinson, Forest Fl. Andaman
Isl. 235. 1923; Gamble, Fl. Madras 2(7): 1301. 1925 (repr. ed. 2: 910. 1957).
Asm.: Dukhoa; Beng.: Ban-bakul; Kh.: Dieng-pankhar; Mik.: Lali, Phang-gait-arong.
Shrubs or trees, 2 - 15 m tall; branchlets puberulous when young, soon glabrous. Leaves elliptic to oblong-elliptic, unequal or often acute at base, entire, acuminate to acute or sometimes obtuse at apex, (5 -) 8 - 23 x (2-) 3.5 - 8.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, glossy; lateral nerves 6 - 15 pairs; petioles 3 - 12 mm long, glabrescent. Inflorescences axillary. Male flowers: ca 10 mm across; pedicels 3 - 5 mm long; sepals 4, suborbicular, 6 - 8 x 5 - 8 mm, sparsely puberulous or glabrous; stamens (6 -) 8 - 15, 4- 5 mm long; anthers oblong, ca 1 mm long; disc plicate with the lobes mostly produced outwards embracing the bases of filaments, pubescent. Female flowers: pedicels 2 - 4 (- 5) mm long; sepals 4, suborbicular, 6 - 9 x 5 - 8 mm, puberulous; disc annular, pubescent; ovary globose or oblong-ellipsoid, 1.5 - 3 mm in diam., 2-locular, tomentellous; stigmas sessile, 2, flabellate, 1 - 2 mm broad. Fruits subcubical or often transverse, 13 - 20 x 12 - 20 mm, bilocular, thinly pubescent.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Moist evergreen forests, primary forests, deciduous forests, subtropical forests, up to 1400 m altitude. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman Islands.
Bhutan, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indo-China.
Uses. The fruits are edible.
Notes. Closely related to D. subsessilis, into which it sometimes tends to merge and in such cases, the larger male flowers with greater number of stamens are the only reliable distinctions.
Shrubs or trees, 2 - 15 m tall; branchlets puberulous when young, soon glabrous. Leaves elliptic to oblong-elliptic, unequal or often acute at base, entire, acuminate to acute or sometimes obtuse at apex, (5 -) 8 - 23 x (2-) 3.5 - 8.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, glossy; lateral nerves 6 - 15 pairs; petioles 3 - 12 mm long, glabrescent. Inflorescences axillary. Male flowers: ca 10 mm across; pedicels 3 - 5 mm long; sepals 4, suborbicular, 6 - 8 x 5 - 8 mm, sparsely puberulous or glabrous; stamens (6 -) 8 - 15, 4- 5 mm long; anthers oblong, ca 1 mm long; disc plicate with the lobes mostly produced outwards embracing the bases of filaments, pubescent. Female flowers: pedicels 2 - 4 (- 5) mm long; sepals 4, suborbicular, 6 - 9 x 5 - 8 mm, puberulous; disc annular, pubescent; ovary globose or oblong-ellipsoid, 1.5 - 3 mm in diam., 2-locular, tomentellous; stigmas sessile, 2, flabellate, 1 - 2 mm broad. Fruits subcubical or often transverse, 13 - 20 x 12 - 20 mm, bilocular, thinly pubescent.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Dec.
Distrib. India: Moist evergreen forests, primary forests, deciduous forests, subtropical forests, up to 1400 m altitude. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Andaman Islands.
Bhutan, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indo-China.
Uses. The fruits are edible.
Notes. Closely related to D. subsessilis, into which it sometimes tends to merge and in such cases, the larger male flowers with greater number of stamens are the only reliable distinctions.
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