球果藤属 qiu guo teng shu

Vines. Leaf blade cordate, not or only very narrowly peltate, palmately 5-7-veined. Inflorescences axillary, panicles, usually very long. Male flowers: sepals usually 12 in 4 whorls, free, imbricate, outer whorl minute, middle whorl linear-oblong, 1-veined, inner whorl spatulate, 3-veined, innermost whorl obovate, 3-veined; petals 6, obdeltoid or cuneate-obovate, apex 3-gashed or subtruncate, with lateral edges involute, 3-veined; stamens 6, connate into a peltate synandrium, anthers dehiscing transversely. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male flowers; staminodes 6, clavate; carpels 3, stigma capitate or 3-lobed. Drupes 1-3, subellipsoid, style scar subterminal; exocarp fleshy; endocarp slightly fleshy, with a median abaxial and adaxial ridge and flattened lateral wings; condyle inconspicuous. Seed ovoid-ellipsoidal, flat; endosperm abundant, fleshy.

One species: China, India, Myanmar, Thailand.

Lower Taxon

• Aspidocarya uvifera J. D. Hooker & Thomson