Tinospora esiangkara (F.M.Bailey) Forman

Menispermaceae

Forman, L.L. (2007) Flora of Australia 2: 462.

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

Leaf blades about 3.5-7.3 x 2-3.3 cm, lobed or hastate at the base. Petioles about 0.9-1.2 cm long. Upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade densely clothed in pale or translucent hairs. Usually three to five veins, including the midrib, radiating from the base of the leaf blade.

Male flowers: Inflorescence a slender raceme. Flowers about 3-4 mm diam. Sepals six, outer sepals ovate, about 1 mm long, inner sepals reflexed with recurved margins, about 3 x 2.5 mm. Petals six, obovate, about 1 mm long, margins folded upwards and inwards. Staminal filaments about 1.5 mm long. Female flowers: Flowers borne in racemes, about seven to nine flowers per raceme. Individual flowers about 3-3.5 mm diam. on pedicels about 4 mm long. Sepals six, outer sepals about 0.6-0.7 mm long, inner sepals reflexed, about 2 x 1.5 mm. Petals six, elliptic, about 0.9-1 x 0.6 mm, reflexed over the inner sepals. Staminodes six, opposite the petals. Ovaries three, each about 1 mm long. Stigma bilobed, sessile.

Fruits (fruiting carpels) sometimes solitary but sometimes in groups of two or three on a fleshy receptacle. Fruiting carpels sessile, asymmetrical, ellipsoidal, about 6 x 5 mm. Endocarps, asymmetrical, about 5 x 3.5-4 mm, surface rugose. Embryo about 3 mm long, cotyledons divaricate, about 1 mm long, adaxial surfaces not touching one another, margins incurved. Radicle about 1.5 mm long.

Features not available.

Endemic to Australia, occurs in NT, CYP and NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 100 m. Usually grows in vine thicket or stunted monsoon forest on old sand dunes or in beach forest.

Limacia esiangkara F.M.Bailey, The Queensland Flora 6: 1997(1902), Type: Mapoon, 22 Jan. 1901, J.F. Bailey s. n, Holo: BRI. Tinospora angusta Forman, Kew Bulletin 36: 383(1980), Type: Northern Territory, Nourlangie Creek, 28 Feb. 1973, Craven 2452. Holo: CANB. Iso: BRI, DNA, K.