Drypetes sepiaria
(Wight & Arn.) Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.xv (heft
81): 271. 1922; Chakrab. et al. in J. Econ. Taxon. Bot. 21: 272. 1997. Hemicyclia sepiaria Wight &
Arn. in Edinburgh New Philos. J. 14: 297. 1833; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 337. 1887; Gamble, Fl.
Madras 2(7): 1299. 1925 (repr. ed. 2: 909. 1957).
Kan.: Hira; Mal.: Vella-kasavu; Tam.: Virai, Veeraimarom; Tel.: Bira.
Shrubs or trees, 2 - 15 m tall; branchlets initially puberulous, soon glabrous. Leaves oblong-elliptic to ovate or sometimes orbicular or flabellate, broadly rounded, subtruncate or subcordate (often unequal) or occasionally acute to obtuse at base, entire to crenate-serrate or denticulate along margins, broadly rounded to obtuse or retuse at apex, 2 - 9 x 1.5 - 4.5 cm, stiffly coriaceous, often glossy, glabrous or sometimes pubescent on midrib; lateral nerves 4 - 8 pairs; minor nerves bullately impressed; petioles 2 - 8 mm long. Inflorescences axillary, fasciculate. Male flowers: pedicels 5 - 7 mm long; sepals 4 (2 + 2), suborbicular, concave, 3 - 4 x 2.5 - 3.5 mm, unequal with the outer 2 smaller, puberulous to glabrous outside; stamens 4 - 8 (- 10), 1.5 - 3 mm long; filaments ca 2 mm long; anthers oblong, 0.5 - 1 mm long; disc flat or shortly cupular. Female flowers: pedicels 1 - 10 mm long; sepals 4, obovate to orbicular, 2 - 4 x 1.7 - 3.5 mm; disc annular, saucer-shaped, crenate; ovary globose to ovoid, 1 - 1.5 mm in diam., glabrous, 1 (or 2)- locular; stigma lying flat on apex of ovary or peltate on very minute style, orbicular or reniform, ca 2 mm across. Fruits globose or fusiform, 6 - 8 m in diam., glabrous, 1-locular, 1-seeded; pedicels 4 - 10 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Sept.
Distrib. India: Evergreen forests, up to 1000 m altitude, common. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka.
Uses. Timber used as fuel.
Shrubs or trees, 2 - 15 m tall; branchlets initially puberulous, soon glabrous. Leaves oblong-elliptic to ovate or sometimes orbicular or flabellate, broadly rounded, subtruncate or subcordate (often unequal) or occasionally acute to obtuse at base, entire to crenate-serrate or denticulate along margins, broadly rounded to obtuse or retuse at apex, 2 - 9 x 1.5 - 4.5 cm, stiffly coriaceous, often glossy, glabrous or sometimes pubescent on midrib; lateral nerves 4 - 8 pairs; minor nerves bullately impressed; petioles 2 - 8 mm long. Inflorescences axillary, fasciculate. Male flowers: pedicels 5 - 7 mm long; sepals 4 (2 + 2), suborbicular, concave, 3 - 4 x 2.5 - 3.5 mm, unequal with the outer 2 smaller, puberulous to glabrous outside; stamens 4 - 8 (- 10), 1.5 - 3 mm long; filaments ca 2 mm long; anthers oblong, 0.5 - 1 mm long; disc flat or shortly cupular. Female flowers: pedicels 1 - 10 mm long; sepals 4, obovate to orbicular, 2 - 4 x 1.7 - 3.5 mm; disc annular, saucer-shaped, crenate; ovary globose to ovoid, 1 - 1.5 mm in diam., glabrous, 1 (or 2)- locular; stigma lying flat on apex of ovary or peltate on very minute style, orbicular or reniform, ca 2 mm across. Fruits globose or fusiform, 6 - 8 m in diam., glabrous, 1-locular, 1-seeded; pedicels 4 - 10 mm long.
Fl. & Fr. Jan. - Sept.
Distrib. India: Evergreen forests, up to 1000 m altitude, common. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lanka.
Uses. Timber used as fuel.
