Lasianthus subaureus Craib

118. Lasianthus subaureus Craib View in CoL

Lasianthus subaureus Craib (1933) View in CoL 27; (1934) 218; K.M. Wong (1989) 368; H. Zhu (2001b) 142. — Type: Kerr 14117 (holo K; iso BK), Thailand, Puket .

Shrubs, up to 3 m high; branchlets terete, c. 2 mm diam, densely appressed puberulous, aureate when young. Leaves: blades oblong-lanceolate, 10 –17 by 1.7– 3.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, luteous above, pubescent hairs on midrib and nerves, or nervules beneath, apex acuminate, margin often reflexed, base acute to cuneate or rounded, slightly unequal-lateral, midrib conspicuous, more or less depressed above, prominent beneath, nerves prominent on both surfaces, c. 12 pairs, ascending at an angle of over 50°, curved to the margin, nervules distinct and slightly prominent on both surfaces, reticulate; petioles 10–15 mm long, densely appressed puberulous. Stipules triangular-subulate, 2.5 – 3 mm long, puberulous. Cymes sessile or rarely extremely congested; bracts absent. Flowers sessile; calyx cupulate, c. 4 mm long, appressed puberulous, tube 1.5 – 2 mm long, limb cupular, apex truncate or minutely teethed; corolla tubular, pubescent outside, tube up to 12 mm long, lobes 6, linear or linear-lanceolate, pilose outside; ovary with 6 locules. Drupes subglobose, 4–5 mm diam, puberulous, conspicuously 5 – 6-ridged, base narrowed, apex crowned by a cupular and truncate or minutely toothed calyx limb; pyrenes 5 –6, smooth on the abaxial face.

Distribution — Burma, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia.

Note — This species is close to L. verticillatus by its cupular calyx with truncate limb. It differs from the latter by having relatively narrow leaves with reticulate veinlets and longer petioles.