Microcos malayana R.C.K.Chung

Chung, R. C. K. & Soepadmo, E., 2011, Taxonomic revision of the genus Microcos (Malvaceae-Grewioideae) in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, Blumea 56 (3), pp. 273-299 : 293

10. Microcos malayana R.C.K.Chung — Map 5

Microcos malayana R.C.K.Chung (2003) 333, f. 2. — Type: Loh FRI 19249 (holo KEP; iso K, L, SING), Peninsular Malaysia, Kelantan, Gua Musang, Batu Papan Forest Reserve .

Small tree to 9 m tall; without buttresses. Outer bark smooth, reddish brown; inner bark cream; sapwood reddish brown. Twigs striate or sulcate, dark brown, densely covered with tufted hairs when young, glabrescent when older. Stipules elliptic or lanceolate, (9–)10–14(–15) by 3.5 –4(–4.5) mm, apex acuminate, sparsely covered with tufted hairs on both sides, persistent. Leaves olive-green above, dull green or pale brown beneath, subcoriaceous, sometimes bullate, glabrous or sparsely covered with simple and tufted hairs on midrib and secondary veins above, densely covered with simple and tufted hairs beneath; petioles (14–)16–24(– 26) mm long, (2.5 –) 3 – 4 mm thick, pale brown to brown, grooved when more than 3 mm thick, apically not swollen, densely covered with tufted hairs; blade narrowly oblong or narrowly lanceolate, equilateral, (29–)35– 53(– 55) by (5–)7–10(–11) cm, base subcordate, rarely obtuse, margin entire, not ciliate, apex acuminate, acumen 3– 5 cm long with a pointed tip; midrib flattened above, raised and rounded beneath; secondary veins 8 –10(–14) pairs, inconspicuous or sometimes impressed above, prominent beneath, basal pair reaching almost 0.25 of blade length, forming an angle of 45° with the midrib; domatia absent; tertiary veins (sub-)scalariform, inconspicuous above, conspicuous beneath. Inflorescences Type B panicles, terminal or rarely axillary, 13–15 cm long, densely covered with tufted hairs; bracts unlobed, narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, (8–)9 –15(–18) by 4 –5.5(– 6) mm, sparsely covered with tufted hairs on both sides, persistent; involucral bracts of outer whorl 7.5 – 9 mm long, 2-cleft, lobes lanceolate, 1.5 – 3.5 mm long, apex acute or sometimes obtuse, smooth outside, densely covered with tufted hairs on both sides, that of inner whorl narrowly elliptic or obovate, 5 – 6 by 0.8–1.5 mm, apex acuminate, densely covered with tufted hairs on both sides. Flower buds obovoid, 3– 5 by 2 –3 mm, densely covered with tufted hairs; pedicels 1.5– 3 mm long, 0.6– 0.9 mm thick, densely covered with tufted hairs; sepals oblanceolate, 8 – 9 by 0.8 –1.5 mm, densely covered with tufted hairs on both sides; petals 5, lanceolate, 2– 3 by 0.4– 0.8 mm, apex shallowly 2-lobed, or sometimes acuminate, outside densely covered with tufted hairs almost 0.5 of its length and glabrous towards the apex, inside densely covered with tufted hairs around the glands almost 0.5 of its length and glabrous towards the apex, glands ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid; androgynophore concave in outline or swollen at the apex, 1.2–1.5 mm long, 0.5 –0.7 mm diam, striate, glabrous, apical part not expanded outwards, with undulate rim covered with tufted hairs; stamens with filaments 4 – 6 mm long, glabrous, anthers 0.3 – 0.4 mm diam; ovary 3- locular, ellipsoid, 0.8–1.3 mm diam, transversely elliptic in cross section, densely covered with tufted hairs; style 4.5– 5 mm long, glabrous. Infructescences densely covered with tufted hairs. Fruits ripening pinkish red, ellipsoid, smooth, 2– 2.8 by 1.5 –2.5 cm, drying dark brown to black, glabrous; apex rounded, without pseudostalk; exocarp membranous; mesocarp 3 – 5 mm thick; endocarp thin-coriaceous. Fertile pyrene 1, 1-seeded, 8–10 mm long; sterile pyrene inconspicuous.

Distribution — Endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. Found in Ulu Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

Habitat & Ecology — In lowland and hill mixed dipterocarp forests; on ridges or along rivers, to 600 m altitude. Flowering: February –March, June– August; fruiting: June– July, September– November.

Vernacular names — Chenderai, damak (Malay).

Notes — This species is closely allied to M. erythrocarpa and M. pearsonii . Apart from the floral and fruit characters, it differs from M. erythrocarpa by its persistent stipules, larger leaves with longer acumen, longer inflorescences and it is a lowland forest species.

Microcos pearsonii from Borneo is easily distinguished from M. malayana by its leaf base, type of indumentum and floral characters.

Figures

Map 5 Distribution of Microcos hirsuta (Korth.) Burret ($) and M. malayana R.C.K.Chung (:) in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.