Drypetes gardneri
(Thwaites) Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.xv (heft 81):
270. 1922; Chakrab. et al. in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 21: 264. 1997. Hemicyclia gardneri Thwaites in
Hooker's J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 7: 271. 1855 & Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 287. 1861; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India
5: 338. 1887. H. travancorica Bourd., Forest Trees Travancore 329. 1908; Gamble, Fl. Madras
2(7): 1300. 1925 (repr. ed. 2: 910. 1957). Drypetes travancorica (Bourd.) S.K.Jain ex Santapau in
Indian Forester 92: 643. 1966.
Mal.: Vellei-pillai.
Trees, up to 18 m tall; branchlets tomentellous to thinly puberulous, glabrous in age. Leaves elliptic to oblong-elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, unequal at base, crenulate-denticulate or serrulate or sometimes entire along margins, tapering and subacute or acuminate at apex, 2.5 - 9 x 1 - 3 cm, thinly coriaceous to chartaceous, glabrous above, puberulous on midrib or glabrous beneath; lateral nerves very slender, 6 - 12 pairs; petioles 2 - 6 mm long. Inflorescences axillary. Male flowers: pedicels 3 - 6 mm long; sepals 4 (or 5), obovate or triangular-oblong, 2.5 - 5 x 1.5 - 4 mm, tomentellous outside; stamens (8 -) 12 - 25, 2 - 4 mm long; anthers oblong, ca 1 mm long; disc curved along margins. Female flowers: pedicels 5 - 8 mm long; ovary obovoid, ca 2 x 1.5 mm, 1-locular, appendiculate, glabrous; style ca 0.5 mm long; stigma flabelliform or reniform, ca 0.5 mm across. Fruits obovoid (or ovoid, as recorded in literature), somewhat flattened, ca 10 x 7 mm (also reported to be ca 18 mm long), thin-walled, smooth, glabrous; pedicels ca 1 cm long.
Fl. & Fr. Sept. - June.
Distrib. India: Evergreen forests of southern parts of Western Ghats, at about 300 m altitude, rare. Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Sri Lanka.
Trees, up to 18 m tall; branchlets tomentellous to thinly puberulous, glabrous in age. Leaves elliptic to oblong-elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, unequal at base, crenulate-denticulate or serrulate or sometimes entire along margins, tapering and subacute or acuminate at apex, 2.5 - 9 x 1 - 3 cm, thinly coriaceous to chartaceous, glabrous above, puberulous on midrib or glabrous beneath; lateral nerves very slender, 6 - 12 pairs; petioles 2 - 6 mm long. Inflorescences axillary. Male flowers: pedicels 3 - 6 mm long; sepals 4 (or 5), obovate or triangular-oblong, 2.5 - 5 x 1.5 - 4 mm, tomentellous outside; stamens (8 -) 12 - 25, 2 - 4 mm long; anthers oblong, ca 1 mm long; disc curved along margins. Female flowers: pedicels 5 - 8 mm long; ovary obovoid, ca 2 x 1.5 mm, 1-locular, appendiculate, glabrous; style ca 0.5 mm long; stigma flabelliform or reniform, ca 0.5 mm across. Fruits obovoid (or ovoid, as recorded in literature), somewhat flattened, ca 10 x 7 mm (also reported to be ca 18 mm long), thin-walled, smooth, glabrous; pedicels ca 1 cm long.
Fl. & Fr. Sept. - June.
Distrib. India: Evergreen forests of southern parts of Western Ghats, at about 300 m altitude, rare. Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Sri Lanka.
