Flora of Thailand
Euphorbiaceae
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L.f., Suppl.: 66.1781; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 20: 386. 1966; Kew Bull. 26: 308. 1971; G.L.Webster, J. Arnold Arbor. 60: 407. 1979; Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 81: 44. 1994; Welzen, Thai For. Bull. (Bot.) 28: 57, fig. 8. 2000; Radcl.-Sm., Gen. Euphorbiacearum: 37. 2001; C.Barker, Blumea 46: 506. 2001; C.Barker & Welzen in Welzen & Chayam., Fl. Thailand 8, 2: 440. 2007; G.L.Webster in Kubitzki, Fam. Gen. Vasc. Pl. 11: 75. 2014.— Prosorus Dalzell, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4: 345. 1852.— Zygospermum Thwaites ex Baill., Étude Euphorb.: 620. 1858.— Wurtzia Baill., Adansonia ser 1, 1: 186. 1861.— Calococcus Kurz apud Teysm. & Binn., Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 27: 48. 1864.
Trees, dioecious. Indumentum absent. Stipules triangular, with white membranous margin, persistent. Leaves distichous, simple, symmetric, very thin, basally attached, margin entire, without glands; venation indistinct, pinnate, nerves marginally looped and joined, veins and veinlets reticulate. Inflorescences bracteate axillary fascicles or a few fascicles on up to less than 1 cm long side branches with more than 50 flowers. Flowers actinomorphic, pedicelled; sepals 4, ovate, imbricate, 2 outer smaller; petals absent; disc annular, very flat. Staminate flowers: stamens 4, filaments free, anthers extrorse; pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers: ovary 3-locular; ovules 2 per locule; style absent to present, stigmas 2(3)-fid. Fruits capsular, globose, thin, dehiscing irregularly. Seeds crescent moon-like, covered by fleshy, purple-blue sarcotesta.
Fourteen species occurring in tropical America, Africa, Asia, and Australia; 1 in Thailand. Classification: Subfam. Phyllanthoideae, tribe Phyllantheae, subtribe Flueggeinae.
Margaritaria indica (Dalzell) Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. 20: 387. 1966; Kew Bull. 25: 492. 1971; Kew Bull. 26: 308. 1972; Whitmore, Tree Fl. Mal. 2: 177. 1973; C.Barker, Blumea 46: 507. 2001; C.Barker & Welzen in Welzen & Chayam., Fl. Thailand 8, 2: 440, Fig. 40. 2007.— Prosorus indicus Dalzell, Hooker’s J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4: 346. 1852 (‘indica’).— Phyllanthus indicus (Dalzell) Müll.Arg., Linnaea 32: 52. 1863.— Calococcus sundaicus Kurz apud Teysm. & Binn., Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 27: 48. 1864.— Phyllanthus sundaicus (Kurz) Müll.Arg. in DC., Prodr. 15, 2: 1272. 1866.
Trees up to 25 m high, deciduous. Stipules 2.2–2.5 by c. 1 mm. Leaves: petiole 8–10 mm; blade elliptic, 5.6–12.5 by 2.9–4.9 cm, length/width ratio 1.9–2.6, base attenuate, apex bluntly to sharply acute; nerves 7–9 to apex. Bracts triangular, 1–1.3 by 1–1.3 mm, brown when dry. Staminate flowers c. 1.5 mm in diameter, yellowish-green; pedicel 3–4 mm long; sepals: outer two c. 1 by 0.9 mm, inner two c. 1.3 by 1.3 mm; filaments up to 1 mm, anthers 0.5–0.6 by 0.4–0.5 mm. Pistillate flowers c. 2 mm in diameter; pedicel 7–9 mm long; sepals: outer two c. 1.6 by 1.0 mm, inner two c. 1.3 by 1.3 mm; disc 1.8 mm broad; ovary c. 1.5 by 1.2 mm; style 0.9–1.1mm long, stigmas 0.4–0.5 mm long, bifid. Fruits 7–9 mm in diameter. Seeds 3.8–4.2 by 2.8–3.0 mm, paired.
T h a i l a n d.— NORTHERN: Lampang (Wang Fen); EASTERN: Chaiyaphum; CENTRAL: Saraburi (Phu Kae), Bangkok; SOUTH-EASTERN: Chon Buri (Chak Kao); PENINSULAR: Surat Thani (Langsuan).
D i s t r i b u t i o n.— India (type) and Ceylon to China and Taiwan, Indochina, Thailand, in Malesia from Sumatra to the Philippines to New Guinea (Aru Islands only); unknown for the Malay Peninsula but found on Tioman and Berhala Islands to the east of the peninsula.
E c o l o g y.— Moist deciduous and evergreen forest; scattered. Altitude: 80–700 m.
V e r n a c u l a r.— Daeng nam (แดงน้ำ) (Northern); me khamram (หมีคำราม) (Central).