Vatica chinensis

Vatica chinensis
Vatica chinensis tree in Edappally, Kochi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Dipterocarpaceae
Genus: Vatica
Species: V. chinensis
Binomial name
Vatica chinensis
Linn

Vatica chinensis is a species of flowering tree in the Dipterocarpaceae family, found in South Asia.

Distribution

The tree is native to the Western Ghats range in Karnataka and Kerala states of southern India; and historically to Sri Lanka, where it is either extremely rare or possibly extinct. [1][2] It is an IUCN Red List Critically endangered species. [1]

It is part of the South Western Ghats montane rain forests ecoregion flora.

Description

Vatica chinensis is a tropical evergreen tree, growing to 25 metres (82 ft) in height. [3] Its trunk bole is buttressed, pale green smooth bark. The exudation is resinous. [4]

Leaves are simple, alternate; stipules small, fugacious; petiole 20–50 mm long, stout, glabrous; lamina 9-25 x 3–11 cm, ovate or oblong, base obtuse or broadly cuneate, apex obtusely acute, margin entire, coriaceous, glabrous; lateral nerves 10-14 pairs, parallel, prominent, intercostae scalariform, prominent. [3]

Flowers are bisexual, white, in axillary spreading panicles; pedicels 5-ribbed; ribs alternating with sepals; calyx tube very short, adnate to the base of the ovary; lobes 5, ovoid-deltoid, acute, pubescent; petals 5, white, oblong; stamens 15 in 2 rows; filaments short, flattened at base; anthers oblong, shortly apiculate; ovary superior, covered with large shallow pits, lepidote, 3-celled, ovules 2 in each cell; style about as long as ovary, ribbed; stigmas densely papillose, obscurely 3-lobed. [3]

Fruits are a capsule, lepidote, subglobose shortly pointed with 3 obscure, loculicidal furrows, puberulous; pericarp coriaceous; calyx persistent.[3] [5][6]

Vatica chinensis fruit
Vatica chinensis flower
Vatica chinensis leaf

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Ashton, P. (1998). "Vatica chinensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  2. ↑ Flora of Karnataka, Sharma B. D, 1984, Biodiversity Documentation for Kerala Part 6: Flowering Plants, N. Sasidharan, 2004
  3. 1 2 3 4 India biodiversity portal: Vatica chinensis report; by Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi.
  4. ↑ Vatica chinensis − L., Mant. Pl. 2: 242. 1771; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 84(61). 1915; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 84. 1984; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 42. 1982; Babu, Fl. Malappuram Dist. 53. 1990; K.P. Janardh. in B.D. Sharma & Sanjappa, Fl. India 3: 248. 1993; K.P. Janardh. & W. Arisdason in P. Daniel, Fl. Kerala 1: 373. 2005; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 113. 2009.
  5. ↑ Vateria roxburghiana Wight ex Arn., Ann. Nat. Hist. ser. 1, 3: 155. 1839. (syn: Vatica chinensis)
  6. ↑ Vatica roxburghiana (Wight) Blume, Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat. 2: 31, t.1849; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 302. 1874. (syn: Vatica chinensis)
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