Lasianthus hirsutus (Roxb.) Merr.

56. Lasianthus hirsutus (Roxb.) Merr. View in CoL — Map 7 View Map 7

Lasianthus hirsutus (Roxb.) Merr. (1952) View in CoL 229; Bakh.f. (1965) 339; Deb & M.Gangop. (1991) 282, f. 4; H. Zhu (1994) 58; H.S. Lo (1999) 79; H.Zhu (2001b) 129; (2002) 76. — Triosteum hirsutum Roxb.(1824) View in CoL 180. —

Type: Unknown collector, sp.no: 139 (holo BM), Chittagong .

Lasianthus bracteatus Wight (1846) View in CoL 501. — Type: Griffith s.n. (n.v.), Peninsular Malaysia.

Lasianthus roxburghii Wight (1846) View in CoL 502. — Type not designated.

Lasianthus oculus­cati Miq. (1857) View in CoL 315; (1869) 249. — Type: Unknown collector s.n. (holo L, barcode L0057762 ), Java.

Lasianthus laevicaulis Kurz (1875) View in CoL 327. — Type: Kurz s.n. (iso K), Nicobar Island .

Lasianthus everettii Merr.(1908a) View in CoL 265. — Type: Everett s.n. FB. 5591 (lost), Philippines, Negros Occidental.

Lasianthus cyanocarpus Jack var. novoguineensis Valeton (1911) View in CoL 498; Merr. & L.M.Perry (1946) 219, syn. nov. — Type: Versteeg 1406 (iso L), SW New Guinea.

Lasianthus cyanocarpus Jack var. asperatus Pierre ex Pit. (1924) View in CoL 381. — Type: Pierre 3256 (syn P; isosyn. L), Bien Hoa.

Lasianthus cyanocarpus Jack var. lucidus Pierre ex Pit. (1924) 382. — Syntypes: Pierre s.n. (P; isosyn. L), Vietnam, Bien Hoa ; Harmand s.n. (P), Condor.

Lasianthus cyanocarpus View in CoL auct. non Jack: Blume (1826 –1827) 996; Benth. (1861) 160; Kurz (1877) 32; Hook.f. (1880) 179; Hemsl. (1888) 388; King & Gamble (1904) 113; Merr.(1921) 578;Pit. (1924) 381;Ridl. (1923a) 153; Craib (1934) 210; H.L. Li (1944) 430; T.S.Liu & J.M.Chao (1964) 129, f. 6; K.M. Wong (1989) 370; H.J.Li & H.Y.Liu (1998) 280, pl. 125.

Shrubs, 1–2 m high, usually stiff spreading rusty-hirsute; branchlets terete, robust, c. 3 mm diam, dark-brown when dry. Leaves: blades oblong or oblanceolate-oblong, 13– 20 by 5– 6 cm, subcoriaceous or coriaceous, apex acuminate, base acute, dark-brown when dry, midrib and nerves flat to slightly depressed above, prominent beneath, nerves 7–10 pairs, ascending at an angle of 70–80°, curved to the margin, nervules slender, obscure above, prominent beneath, subparallel; petioles 10 –15 mm long, hirsute. Stipules lanceolate or triangular-lanceolate, 8 –10 mm long, densely hirsute. Cymes sessile, covered with many persistent leafy bracts, outer ones ovate-lanceolate, 2 – 3 cm long, with distinct nerves, inner ones linear, mach smaller, all hirsute on both surfaces. Flowers sessile, calyx obconical, densely long-hirsute, with 5 linear-lanceolate lobes, tube c. 1 mm long, lobes 5, c. 2.5 mm long, long-hirsute; corolla tube c. 1–1.2 cm long, glabrous in the lower half, hirsute in the upper half, glabrous inside, lobes 5, ovate, c. 3 mm long. Drupes ovoid-globose, hirsute to glabrous, crowned by the hirsute calyx lobes; pyrenes 5.

Distribution — India, Bangladesh, Burma, China, Japan (Ryukyu), Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia (Peninsu- lar, Borneo), Philippines, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Moluccas, Irian Jaya), Papua New Guinea.

Note — Lasianthus hirsutus is a widely distributed species. It differs conspicuously from other species of the genus mainly by its usually stiff rusty-hirsute hairs and cymes covered with many persistent large leafy bracts. This species is easily recognized. However, it was mistakenly called L. cyanocarpus by most authors. Although Merrill (1952) showed that the correct name of the species is L. hirsutus , the misapplied name L. cyanocarpus has subsequently been used by many authors. The species L. cyanocarpus is clearly different from L. hirsutus . Lasianthus cyanocarpus has relatively smaller leaves with cordate and a slightly oblique base, usually fewer and relatively small bracts. Lasianthus hirsutus differs from it in relatively large leaves with cuneate, slightly unequal base, relatively long petioles, conspicuous triangular stipules, more numerous bracts, outer ones ovate-oblong, leaf-like, inner ones gradually narrower and smaller, as well as usually long rusty-hirsute hairs on plants.