Alchornea rugosa

Family

Euphorbiaceae

Botanical Name

Alchornea rugosa (Lour.) Mull.Arg.

Mueller Argoviensis, J. (1865) Linnaea 34: 170. Type: ?.

Synonyms

Cladodes rugosa Lour., Fl. Cochinch.: 574(1790), Type: Vietnam.

Common name

Alchorn Tree

Stem

A small tree seldom exceeding 20 cm dbh, often flowering and fruiting as a shrub.

Leaves

About 2-5 flat glands normally visible near the base on the underside of the leaf blade on each side of the midrib. Leaf blades about 6.5-14 x 3-6.5 cm. Small oil dots visible with a lens. Domatia are inconspicuous tufts of hairs. Midrib raised on the upper surface.

Flowers

Male flowers: Flowers in spikes, fascicles and panicles, branches about 10-20 cm or more long. Female flowers: Flowers in spikes or racemes about 10-15 cm long. Stigmas linear-subulate, often recurved at the apex.

Fruit

Capsules pubescent, +/- depressed globular, 3-lobed, about 7-8 x 9-10 mm, calyx and stigmas persistent. Seeds about 6 x 4-5 mm.

Seedlings

At the tenth leaf stage: margin serrate; domatia, if present, are inconspicuous tufts of hairs, visible with a lens; petiole covered with short pale hairs.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 700 m. Grows in well developed rain forest, particularly gallery forest. Also occurs in SE Asia and Malesia.

Natural History

This species may have medicinal properties. (http://squid2.laughingsquid.net/hosts/herbweb.com /herbage/A831.htm)