Bischofia

Bischofia View in CoL Blume

Bischofia View in CoL Blume (1826 –1827) 1168; Endl. (1840) 1149; Decne. (1842) 580 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Hassk. (1844) 250 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Hook. (1852) t. 844; Baill. (1858) 594; Miq. (1859) 363; (1860) 178, 444; Müll.Arg. (1866) 478 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Bedd. (1872) pl. 259 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Brandis (1874) 445 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Kurz (1877) 355 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Gamble (1881) 355 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Benth. (1880) 281; Hook.f.(1887) 344;Pax (1890) 33; J.J.Sm. (1910) 290; Pax & K.Hoffm. (1922) 312 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Gagnep. (1927) 542; Pax & K.Hoffm. (1931) 78; Hurus. (1954) 339 (‘ Bischoffia ’); Backer & Bakh.f. (1963) 473; Airy Shaw (1972a) 271;A.C.Sm. (1981) 494;Radcl.-Sm.(1987) 54; G.L.Webster (1994) 54; Govaerts et al. (2000) 264; Radcl.-Sm. (2001) 77; Welzen (2005) 122;P.T.Li (Li BT) & M.G.Gilbert (2008) 217;G.L.Webster (2014) 89.— Type: Bischofia javanica View in CoL Blume.

Microelus Wight & Arn. (1833) View in CoL 298. ― Type: Microelus roeperianus View in CoL (= Bischofia javanica View in CoL Blume).

Stylodiscus Benn. (1840) 133.― Type: Andrachne trifoliata Roxb. ( Stylodiscus trifoliatus (Roxb.) Benn. ) (= Bischofia javanica Blume).

Tree, dioecious, deciduous (flowering when in young leaf), latex red. Indumentum simple hairs, only very locally present. Stipules falcate, early caducous. Leaves alternate, 3-foliolate (to 5-imparipinnate), usually crowded at end of branchlets, petiole long; leaflets symmetric, basally attached, margin (ser- rulate to) serrate with sharp teeth, without glands, sometimes seemingly entire in old leaves, surfaces smooth, (sub)glabrous, lower surface usually with (sac-like or hole) domatia in axils of midrib and secondary veins and/or in the axils of secondary and tertiary veins; venation pinnate, nerves seemingly looped and closed near margin, veins indistinctly reticulate. Inflorescences axillary to pseudoterminal racemes ( B. racemosa ) or panicles ( B. javanica ), pendulous in fruit; flowers single per bract; bracts early caducous. Flowers actinomorphic; sepals 5, free; petals and disc absent. Staminate flowers: pedicel with subbasal abscission zone; sepals hooded around stamens when young, reflexing, valvate; receptacle torus-like, with stamens attached below pistillode; stamens 5, episepalous, filament short, anthers large, latrorse, thecae two, connective narrow; pistillode 5-lobed, infundibuliform. Pistillate flowers: pedicel with abscission zone in ± middle; sepals imbricate, flat; staminodes absent or early caducous, small, strap-like; ovary 3(–4)-locular, globose; ovules 2 per locule; style short, stigmas long, apically entire, upper surface with stigmatic tissue. Fruits drupes, (sub)- globose, smooth, mesocarp fleshy, endocarp woody. Seeds obovoid, rather crescent-moon-shaped, smooth, naked.

Distribution ― Two species, one locally in China, the other from India to the Pacific.