密花藤 mi hua teng

Cocculus lucidus Teijsmann & Binnendijk, Natuurk. Tijdschr. Ned.-Indië 4: 397. 1853; Antitaxis calocarpa Kurz; A. fasciculata Miers; A. nodiflora (Pierre) Gagnepain; Pycnarrhena calocarpa (Kurz) Diels; P. fasciculata (Miers) Diels; Telotia nodiflora Pierre.

Woody vines. Old stems grayish brown; young stems ferruginous pubescent. Petiole 1-2 cm, swollen at apex, ferruginous puberulent; leaf blade elliptic-lanceolate or elliptic, 7-11 × 1.5-3.5 cm, sometimes larger, thinly leathery, adaxially glossy, base broadly subcuneate or rounded, apex mucronate, acuminate, or subacute; lateral veins 5-7. Inflorescences axillary, fasciculate, cymose, base of peduncle puberulent, usually 1(or few)-flowered; male peduncle slender, filiform, 3-5 mm. Male flowers: outer whorl of sepals minute, obovate, puberulent, inner larger, ca. 1.5 mm, slightly fleshy, subrotund, saccate; petals usually 2(-5), broadly elliptic, ca. 0.6 × 1 mm, fleshy; synandrium with (2-)4 or 5(-12) anthers. Female flowers not seen. Drupes red, globose or slightly oblique, [0.8-]1.5-2 cm; endocarp fibrously woody; condyle slightly convex. Seeds reniform.

Forests. S and SE Hainan [Cambodia, India (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), Indonesia (W Java, WC Sumatra), Laos, Malaysia, N Thailand].

Diels recognized three species within Pycnarrhena lucida as defined here, based largely on differences in the number of stamens and petals. The view taken here is that this variation is continuous and, therefore, only one species is recognized. If Diels were to be followed, the plant in China would come closest to P. fasciculata.