Stemona lucida (R.Br.) Duyfjes

Stemonaceae

Duyfjes, B.E.E. (1991) Blumea 36(1): 243.

A slender vine not exceeding a stem diameter of 2 cm.

Leaf blades triangular, thin in texture, about 5-10.5 x 1.8-7 cm, petioles about 1-4 cm long, shallowly grooved on the upper surface. Margins thickened and +/- vein-like. Venation +/- longitudinal with 3-9 main longitudinal veins including the midrib, veins between the main veins run transversely at an angle of 80-85 degrees to the main veins and are close, numerous and parallel to one another.

Flowers produced in a slender raceme about 4-6 cm long or on a peduncle about 3 cm long, each pedicel about 5-6 mm long, subtended by a purplish bract about 3 mm long. Flowers about 11-15 mm diam. Tepals 4 + 4 in two whorls. Outer tepals about 8-15 x 2.5 mm. Inner tepals about 10-11 x 1-1.5 mm. Stamens four. Anthers about 4 mm long, attached to the base of the inner tepals or staminal tube. Apex of each anther ending in a filiform tip about 3-5 mm long. Pollen pale yellow. Ovules 6-10.

Fruits laterally compressed, about 20 x 13 mm. Seeds about 7-8 x 4 mm, faintly longitudinally ribbed. Base of the seed enclosed in a white aril composed of numerous finger-like processes. Embryo straight, about 2 mm long.

One cataphyll produced before the first leaf. First true leaves triangular-ovate, apex subulate-acuminate, base truncate-obtuse. Leaf blades 5-veined at the base, reticulate veins +/- perpendicular to the midrib. Midrib depressed on the upper surface. Leaves produced in two rows or ranks. Stems zig-zagged. Seed germination time 194 days.

Occurs in CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 550 m. Grows in riparian forest, beach forest, monsoon forest and vine thicket. Also found in New Guinea and other parts of Malesia (Philippines).

Dioscorea lucida R.Br., Prod. : 295(1810), Type: Queensland, Endeavour River, Banks & Solander; holo: BM. Stemona philippensis Merr., Bull. Philipp. Gov. Lab. 6: 16(1904), Type: Philippines, Masbate Island, Merrill 3061; holo: K.