Flora of Thailand

Euphorbiaceae

After a revision by Arias Guerrero & Welzen (Edinburgh J. Bot. 68, 2011: 443-482) E. chinense Benth. appears to be absent from Thailand, instad E. quadriloculare Pax & K.Hoffm. is present. The key and descriptions have been adjusted.

 

34. Endospermum

 

J. Chantharaprasong

 

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Genus description

Identification key (Flora of Thailand by Chanthraprasong)

Identification key (Arias Guerrero & Welzen, 2011)

Species descriptions

 

Endospermum

 

Benth., Fl. Hongk. 304. 1861, nom. cons; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 458. 1887; Ridl. Fl. Mal. Pen. 3: 305. 1925; Gagnep. in Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 5: 452. 1926; J.Schaeffer, Blumea 19: 171–192. 1971; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 26: 258. 1972; Whitmore, Tree Fl. Mal. 2: 93. 1973; G.L.Webster, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 81: 101. 1994; Radcl.-Sm., Gen. Euphorbiacearum: 281. 2001; Chanth. in Chayam. & Welzen, Fl. Thailand 8, 1: 255. 2005; S.Arias Guerrero & Welzen, Edinburgh J. Bot. 68: 460. 2011; G.L.Webster in Kubitzki, Fam. Gen. Vasc. Pl. 11: 160. 2014.— Capellenia Teijsm. & Binn., Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indiλ 29: 238. 1867.

 

Trees; dioecious (rarely monoecious); twigs in some species hollow and often ant-inhabited. Indumentum stellate, all parts hairy to glabrous. Stipules small, caducous. Leaves spiral, crowded on top of branches, simple; petiole long, basally pulvinate; blade ovate to rhomboid or orbicular, base peltate or not, often with 2 glands near insertion beneath, margin entire, with glands or domatia in nerve axils below, palmatinerved basally, upper part penninerved. Inflorescences axillary, usually paniculate, sometimes (slightly branched) spikes. Flowers regular, sometimes hermaphrodite (not in Thailand), subsessile, calyx present, lobes valvate to somewhat imbricate; disc annular (entire or angled). Staminate flowers: calyx cupular, 3- or 4-dentate; disc 5-angled; stamens 5—12, filaments basally shortly connate; pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers: calyx 5-lobed; ovary globose, (1)2-6(7)-locular; ovules 1 per locule; styles short, stigmas forming a lobed disc. Fruits drupaceous or berry-like, middle layer fleshy; columella absent. Seeds ellipsoid, testa hard, without caruncle or aril.

    A genus of 12–13 species ranging from India (Assam) to S. China, throughout S.E. Asia and Malesia to Australia and the West Pacific (Fiji Islands). 3 species in Thailand. Classification: Subfamily Crotonoideae, tribe Adenoclineae, subtribe Endosperminae.

 

Key to the species (Flora of Thailand)

 

1a.

Inflorescence a spike or a spike with very short side-axis. Petiolar glands 0–2 at lower leaf surface at insertion

1. E. diadenum

1b.

Inflorescence paniculate. Petiolar glands 2 at lower leaf surface at insertion

2

2a.

Petiolar glands cylindrical

2. E. peltatum

2b.

Petiolar glands globose, 2–3 mm in diameter

3. E. quadriloculare

 

Key to the species (Arias Guerrero & Welzen, 2011)

 

1a.

Branches pilose to densely hairy. Indumentum consisting of stellately bundled and/or simple hairs. Leaf margin with numerous minute glands

3. E. quadriloculare

1b.

Branches glabrous to sparsely hairy. Indumentum consisting of only stellately bundled hairs. Leaf margin rarely with minute glands

2

2a.

Abaxial extrafloral nectaries knob-like, 0.4–0.5 by 1.5–2.2 mm, without or rarely with a rim. Leaf base never peltate. Venation in upper part with 4 or 5 pairs of nerves. Inflorescences racemes. Glands on bracts absent. Anthers 4-thecate. Pistillate flowers solitary or in groups of up to three. Ovary and fruit 2- or 3-locular

1. E. diadenum

2b.

Abaxial extrafloral nectaries cylindrical, 1.3–1.9 by 1.1–1.8 mm, without a rim. Leaf base peltate or not. Venation in upper part pinnate 5–8 pairs of nerves. Inflorescences always panicles. Glands on bracts often present. Anthers 3- or 4-thecate. Pistillate flowers solitary per node. Ovary and fruit 3–5-locular

2. E. peltatum

 

1. Endospermum diadenum (Miq.) Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 14: 395. 1960; J.Schaeffer, Blumea 19: 187. 1971; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 26: 258. 1972; Chanth. in Chayam. & Welzen, Fl. Thailand 8, 1: 256. 2005; S.Arias Guerrero & Welzen, Edinburgh J. Bot. 68: 464, fig. 5, 6. 2011.— Melanolepis ? diadena Miq., Sum. 455. 1860.— Endospermum borneense Benth., Flora 47: 469. 1864.— Endospermum malaccense Benth., Flora 47: 469. 1864.— Mallotus diadenus (Miq.) Mόll.Arg. in DC., Prodr. 15, 2): 959. 1860.— Rottlera diadena (Miq.) Scheff., Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 4: 125. 1869.— Endospermum ovalifolium Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.iv: 34. 1912.— Endospermum beccarianum Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.iv: 35. 1912.— Endospermum chinense Benth. var. malayanum Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.iv: 36. 1912.— Endospermum malayanum (Pax & K.Hoffm.) Chatterjee, Kew Bull. 546. 1940.

 

    Endodiad-habit.gif (355928 bytes)    Endodiad-male.gif (109341 bytes)    Endodiad-female.gif (36962 bytes)    Endodiad-fruit.gif (71669 bytes)

 

Tree 20–25 m high. Leaves: petiole stout, yellowish, hairy, striate; blade ovate, 7–25 ΄ 4–22 cm, base cordate to rounded or truncate to acute, not peltate, without or with 1 or 2 small glands beneath at insertion, apex rounded or acute, surfaces green, hairy to glabrous above, hairy beneath, basally palmately 3–9 nerved, 3-5-penninerved in upper part, side-nerves with numerous small glands beneath. Inflorescences up to 17 cm long, spikes or spikes with very short branches. Staminate flowers 1–3 in the axil of the bracts; sepals 4–5-lobed, white, fragrant, stamens 9–11; androphore 1.7–2.5 mm long. Pistillate flowers: pedicel 1.5–5 mm long; sepals 4- or 5-lobed, short hairy outside; ovary ellipsoid, green, small, 2- or 3-locular; stigma small. Fruits 4–8 mm wide, with stigma 1–2.5 mm wide, pericarp thin.

    T h a i l a n d.— SOUTH-EASTERN: Trat; PENINSULAR: Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phuket, Songkhla.

    D i s t r i b u t i o n.— Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo.

Endodiad-map.gif (344101 bytes)

    E c o l o g y.— In evergreen forest by streams or in swampy forest. Altitude up to 200 m.

    V e r n a c u l a r.— Taphong (ตะพง) (Trat); famo (ฝาหม้อ) (Chumporn, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani); falami (ฝาละมี) (Phuket).

    U s e s.— The tree is used for reforestation and as shade tree. The timber is important, used for house building, logs, planks etc.. The bark is used to cure dropsy and the roots are applied to injuries. This is a protected timber category A 1 of The Royal Forest Department.

 

3. Endospermum peltatum Merr., Gov. Lab. Publ. Philip. 35: 35. 1905; Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.iv: 37. 1912; Chatterjee, Kew Bull. 4: 504. 1950; J.Schaeffer, Blumea 19: 188. 1971; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 26: 259. 1972; Chanth. in Chayam. & Welzen, Fl. Thailand 8, 1: 257. 2005; S.Arias Guerrero & Welzen, Edinburgh J. Bot. 68: 475, fig. 1f, 13. 2011.

 

Endopelt-leaf.gif (13829 bytes)

 

Tree 10–25 m high. Leaves: petiole hairy; blade elliptic or ovate, 15.5–20 by 10.5–11.5 cm, base peltate or not, cordate to rounded, with 2 cylindrical glands beneath at insertion, apex rounded to acute, sparsely hairy above, densely hairy below, glands along the margin above, basally palmately 7–9 nerved, 4–9 nerves on each side in upper part, with glands in the ramifications beneath. Inflorescences paniculate, up to 35 cm long, lowest side axes up to 7 cm long, densely hairy. Staminate flowers: pedicels c. 1 mm long; sepals 4- or 5-lobed; stamens ca. 11, androphore glabrous. Pistillate flowers: pedicels 3-6 mm long; sepals 4- or 5-toothed, ovary 2- or 3-locular, stigma flattened. Fruit: globose, minutely hairy.

    T h a i l a n d.— PENINSULAR: Ranong (Ko Surin), Yala.

    D i s t r i b u t i o n.— Thailand, Andaman Is., Malesia, Borneo, Philippines.

Endopelt-map.gif (350874 bytes)

    E c o l o g y.— In evergreen forest by stream or rocky ground. Altitude: 100–150 m.

    V e r n a c u l a r.— Phu rat khuan (พูรัดควน) (Trang); khlai (คล้าย) (Yala).

 

3. Endospermum quadriloculare Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.iv: 36, Fig. 10. 1912; S.Moore, J. Bot. 63, Suppl.: 104. 1926; J.Schaeff., Blumea 19: 190, map 3. 1971; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 36: 294. 1981; S.Arias Guerrero & Welzen, Edinburgh J. Bot. 68: 476, fig. 1d, 12. 2011. — Endospermum chinense auct. non Benth.: Chanth. in Chayam. & Welzen, Fl. Thailand 8, 1: 256. 2005. — Endospermum banghamii Merr., Contr. Arnold Arbor. 8: 89. 1934; J.Schaeff., Blumea 19: 185, map 5. 1971; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 36: 293. 1981. — Endospermum ronaldii J.Schaeff., Blumea 19: 185, map 4. 1971.

 

Endoquad-leaf-female.gif (65685 bytes)

 

Trees up to 40 m high. Leaves: petiole hairy; blade rhombold to ovate, 8.5–11 by 6–7 cm, base truncate to acute, not peltate, with 2 globose glands of 2–3 mm in diameter, apex acute, surfaces glabrous or thinly pilose, basally 3–5-nerved, 0–4 glands similar to the basal ones in the ramifications of the side nerves below. Inflorescences: paniculate, up to 21 cm long, with side-axes up to 4 cm. Staminate flowers: fragrant, white or pale yellow; sepals 4-lobed, lobes c. 2 mm wide; stamens 10, androphore sparsely hairy. Pistillate flowers: not seen. Fruit 2- or 3-locular, with stigma 1–2 mm wide; pericarp thin.

    T h a i l a n d.— PENINSULAR: Trang.

    D i s t r i b u t i o n.— Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra.

Endoovat-quad-map.gif (354330 bytes)    dots: E. quadriloculare; squares: E. ovatum Merr. 

    E c o l o g y.— In evergreen forest.

    V e r n a c u l a r.— Falami khao (ฝาละมีขาว) (Trang).

    N o t e s.— This species had been collected only in one place with 2 specimens.