Macrosolen cochinchinensis (Lour.) Tiegh.

Habit

Shrub

Family Description

Shrubby, rarely herbaceous,stem-parasites of trees,shrubs or other loranthaceae. Leaves opposite, sometimes alternate, simple,entire, ogten coriaceous, pinnately or rarely palmately veined, exstipulate, sometimes stellate-hairy, sometimes leaves absent. Flowers in spikes, racemes, umbels or clusters, unisexual or hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, often subtended by 1 or more bracts. Calyx absent or forming a reduced epigynous rim, rarely lobed. Petals 3-6 free or united into a tube. Stamens 3-6 borne on or at base of petals. Ovary inferior, 1-celled, style simple or absent, ovule solitary, axil. Fruit a 1-seeded drupe, seed often sticky.

Genus Description

Leaves elliptic or ovate, glabrous. Flowers in spikes, racemes or peduncled umbels, each flower subtended by 3 unequal, scale-like bracts. Ovary oblong bearing an entire calyx-rim. Corolla shrainght, tube 5-6-angled at base, 5-6-lobed. Fruit globose.

Species Description

Shrub 0.5-1m. Leaves coriaceous, 5-12 x 1.2-5cm, bluntly pointed, acute or shortly acuminate, base cuneate, lateral veins sometimes obscure; petioles 5-15mm. Racemes up to 5cm long flowers sessile or on pedicels up to 5mm; bracts ovate, unequal, connate at base, the largest equalling ovary. Ovary 2-3mm with low calyx rim. corolla 8-10mm long, tube greenish, lobes red or orange. Fruit yellow or orange, 5 mm diameter.

Gelephu(Rani camp), Lhuentse, Trashigang(Gamri chu and Kulong chu valley). 1100-1700m