Flora of Thailand
Euphorbiaceae
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Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal.: 354, tab. 84. 1839; Esser, Blumea 44: 161. 1999; in Radcl.-Sm., Gen. Euphorbiacearum: 372. 2001; Esser & Welzen in Chayam. & Welzen, Fl. Thailand 8, 1: 298. 2005; G.L.Webster in Kubitzki, Fam. Gen. Vasc. Pl. 11: 203. 2014.— Excoecaria L. Sect. Falconeria (Royle) Müll.Arg. in DC., Prod. 15, 2: 1211. 1866.— Sapium Jacq. Sect. Falconeria (Royle) Hook.f., Fl. Br. India 5: 471. 1888; Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.v: 241. 1912.
Trees, monoecious, deciduous, flowering and fruiting when leafless, distal branches whorled, branches soft, spongy, longitudinally shrivelled and grooved when dry. Indumentum absent. Stipules divided into 2 or 3 ciliae, caducous. Leaves alternate, apically whorled, simple, symmetric; petiole apically with a pair of cup-shaped glands; blades basally attached, margin serrate with glandular teeth, lower surface with a marginal row of a few glands; venation pinnate, nerves looped but not closed near margin, veins and veinlets reticulate. Inflorescences terminal thyrses, either with staminate or pistillate flowers. Flowers actinomorphic, bracts of staminate flowers with pair of large glands; petals and disc absent. Staminate flowers: calyx 2-lobed; stamens 2, free; pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers: calyx 3-lobed; ovary 2- or 3-locular, 1 ovule per locule; style short; stigmas not split. Fruits capsular, but tardily and irregularly dehiscing, fleshy when young, dry and thin when mature. Seeds with a thin, fleshy aril.
Monotypic, from India and Sri Lanka to Indo-China, China, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. Classification: Subfam. Euphorbioideae, tribe Hippomaneae, subtribe Hippomaninae.
1. Falconeria insigne Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal.: 354, tab. 84a or 98 fig. 2. 1839; Esser, Blumea 44: 162, fig. 2, map 2. 1999; Esser & Welzen in Chayam. & Welzen, Fl. Thailand 8, 1: 299, fig. 74. 2005.— Excoecaria insignis (Royle) Müll.Arg. in DC., Prod. 15, 2: 1212. 1866.— Falconeria wallichiana Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal.: 354, tab. 84a or 98 fig. 3.— Carumbium insigne (Royle) Kurz, Fl. Burm. 2: 412. 1877.— Sapium insigne (Royle) Trim., Syst. Cat. Ceylon Pl.: 83. 1885; Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.v: 241. 1912; Gagnep. in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 5: 394. 1926; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 26: 330. 1972; Whitmore, Tree Fl. Malaya 2: 128. 1973; Y.C. Tseng, Fl. Reipubl. Pop. Sin. 44(3): 20. 1997.
Trees up to 40 m high. Stipules c. 0.75 by 1 mm. Leaves: petiole 0.6-6 cm long; blade elliptic, (4.5-)8-33 by (2-)4-11 cm, length/width ratio 2-3, symmetric, base attenuate to acute, apex acuminate; nerves (13-)16-23 pairs. Inflorescences up to 17 cm long. Bracts c. 0.75 mm long, glands 1.75-3.5 by c. 1 mm. Staminate flowers: pedicel 0.25-0.5 mm long; calyx 0.75-1 mm long; stamens with filaments 0.75-1 mm long, anthers 0.4-0.6 mm long. Pistillate flowers: pedicel 0-1 mm long; calyx 1.5-2 mm long; style c. 0.5 mm long; stigmata 0.5-1 mm long. Fruits c. 7 by 4.5-6 mm. Seeds c. 5 by 4.5 mm.
T h a i l a n d.— NORTHERN: Mae Hong Son (Tham Nam Lot), Chiang Mai (Doi Suthep, Gnai-Tintok, Mae Hiya Nai, Mae Sai), Lampang (Doi Chae Son), Lamphun; NORTH-EASTERN: Sakon Nakhon (Phu Phan), Khon Kaen (Pu Wiang); EASTERN: Chaiyaphum (Phu Khiao), Nakhon Ratchasima (Huai Thaleng); CENTRAL: Saraburi (Sam Lan); SOUTH-EASTERN: Sa Kaeo (Roi Pi Botanical Garden), Chon Buri (Khao Khiao); PENINSULAR: Satun (Ko Tarutao).
D i s t r i b u t i o n.— S. and N.W. India (type) and Nepal to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, (Yunnan), southern limit in Peninsular Malaysia.
E c o l o g y.— Occasional to locally common in deciduous forest, on slopes, in rocky places, in full sun; soil: limestone, granitic bedrock. Altitude: 100-900 m. The flowers are visited by Melipona bees.
V e r n a c u l a r.— Seng-blo-mi (เสงโบล่มี้) (Karen-Mae Hong Son); tang kuam (ตางกวม), tong kuam (ตองกวม, Shan-Mae Hong Son) (Northern); rak pa (รักป่า) (Southwestern); ta tum bok (ตาตุุุ่มบก), ta tum nam (ตาตุุุ่มน้ำ) (Central); tang ta bot (ตังตาบอด), ten pet pa (ตีนเป็ดป่า) (Southeastern); klet raet (เกล็ดแรด) (Peninsular).
U s e s.— The latex is toxic to skin and eyes. Plant is used to stupefy fish.