麻核藤 ma he teng

Young branches terete, grooved longitudinally, minutely scabrous-pubescent; old branches gray-white. Petiole 2-3 cm, minutely scabrous-pubescent; leaf blade ovate-oblong, 11-14 × 5-7 cm, abaxially densely yellow-brown or yellow-white pubescent, adaxially sparsely yellow-brown strigose, basal veins 7, midvein prominent, lateral 2 pairs together with basal veins anastomosing far from margin, reticulate veins conspicuous abaxially, base cordate, margin sinuate, apex acuminate. Staminate inflorescences 2- or 3-fascicled in axil, tomentulose; pedicel short, ca. 4.5 mm; calyx pubescent; corolla lobes reflexed, short, outside appressed pubescent; filaments broadly filiform, long; ovary undeveloped, densely yellow-brown hispid. Pistillate inflorescences several fascicled in axil, yellow-white tomentulose; calyx lobes ovate-triangular, ca. 1 mm, outside yellow pubescent; corolla ca. 1.5 mm, outside pubescent; stamens ca. 1.5 mm; anthers very small; ovary ovoid, densely tawny hispid. Drupe ovoid, compressed, 15-17 × 12-15 cm, densely yellow pubescent, with persistent calyx, fruiting peduncle short, 1-2 mm; exocarp thin; mesocarp fleshy; endocarp outside polygonous reticulate-lacunose. Fl. Mar, fr. May.

Twining on limestone in dense forests; 600-700 m. S Yunnan (Xishuangbanna) [Myanmar].