Lasianthus hirsutus (Roxb.) Merr.

Merrill, E.D. (1952) Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 33(3): 229-230

Usually flowers and fruits as a shrub about 1 m tall.

Young shoots, both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade and twigs densely clothed in long pink or purplish tortuous hairs. Leaf blades rather large, about 14-20 x 5-7 cm. Stipules linear or narrowly triangular, clothed in long pink hairs.

Inflorescence very short, much shorter than the leaves and scarcely exceeding the petioles. Calyx tube (hypanthium) about 1 mm long, calyx lobes hairy, about 1 mm long. Corolla tube about 9-10 mm long, corolla lobes about 5 mm long. Adaxial surface of the corolla lobes and upper part of the corolla tube densely clothed in white hairs. Anthers about 2 mm long.

Fruits globular to pyriform, about 8-18 mm diam., bright sky blue or metallic blue in colour, calyx lobes persistent at the apex. Seeds about 5 mm long, convex on one side and concave on the other. Cotyledons small, no wider than the radicle.

Cotyledons ovate, about 6-7 x 4-5 mm, margins slightly crenate. First pair of leaves cordate, both the upper and lower surfaces clothed in long reddish hairs. Stems clothed in similar hairs. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic to obovate, apex acuminate, base obtuse. Midrib raised on the upper surface. Stipules ovate, about 2 mm long, densely clothed in long, bristle-like, pink-red hairs. All plant parts densely clothed in long bristle-like, pink-red hairs with thickened bases. Seed germination time 928 days.

Occurs in CYP, known only from Mt Carter and the McIlwraith Range areas. Altitudinal range from 450-550 m. Grows as an understory plant in undisturbed upland rain forest. Also occurs in Malesia.

Triosteum hirsutum Roxb., Flora Indica [microform] : or descriptions of Indian plants / by William Roxburgh, to which are added descriptions of plants more recently discovered by Nathaniel Wallich ; edited by William Carey 2: 180 (1824). Type: Bangladesh: Chittagong, collector unknown 139. Misapplied name: Lasianthus cyanocarpus Jack, Transactions of the Linnean Society, London 14 : 125 (1823). Type: Found at Tappanooly on the west coast of Sumatra.