Tai tượng đuôi chồn

Mô tả Hình thái học & Nhận diện

DESCRIPTION Shrubs or subshrubs, probably evergreen, to 4 m tall, possibly dioecious, only female plants known. Branches tomentose and short-hispid, glabrescent when mature. Axillary buds naked, densely pubescent with simple, short trichomes. Stipules to 1 cm long, triangular-lanceolate, appressed-pubescent. Petioles (2 -) 4 - 11 cm long, indumentum similar to that on young branches, glabrescent. Leaf blades not variegated, (8 -) 10 - 17 (- 19) × (5.5 -) 7 - 10 (- 13) cm, usually ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, sometimes subrhombic, membranous; base usually rounded, sometimes subcuneate to subcordate; apex acute to subacuminate, acumen to 5 mm long, obtuse, mucronate; margin serrate to crenate-serrate, teeth acute or obtuse, sometimes slightly callose-edged; upper and lower surfaces subglabrous, with some sparse, simple trichomes on veins; venation actinodromous, basal veins 5 or 7, secondary veins 7 - 9 per side. Stipels absent. Inflorescences spiciform, unisexual, axillary. Male inflorescences unknown. Female inflorescences pendulous, densely flowered, to 40 cm long; peduncle to 30 mm long, pubescent with simple, curved trichomes; bracts numerous, sessile, not enlarging in fruit, to 1 mm long, elliptic-lanceolate, sparsely hairy and ciliate; margin entire; bracteoles absent. Male flowers unknown. Female flowers 4 - 6 per bract, sessile; sepals 3 - 4, to 1 mm long, triangular-lanceolate, ciliate; ovary c. 1 mm diameter, 3 - lobed, smooth, surface densely hispid; styles 3, to 8 mm long, distinct, glabrous, each divided into 6 - 16 segments. Allomorphic flowers not seen. Capsules and seeds not seen.