HIPTAGE

Hiptage Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 2: 69. Plate 116, fig. 4. 1790; Brandis, Ind. Trees, 108. 1911; Hutch., Gen. Fl. Pl. 2: 585. 1967; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 11: 135; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org

Woody lianas, shrubs or small trees. Leaves opposite, leathery or subleathery, entire, usually glandular at base abaxially. Stipules minute, gland-like or absent. Inflorescence mostly racemes, axillary or terminal; pedicels jointed, 2-bracteolate at articulation point. Flowers white, sometimes pinkish, fragrant, bracteate, zygomorphic, bisexual, 5-merous, hypogynous. Calyx with 1 or 2 glands partially adnate to pedicel or eglandular; sepals 5, imbricate, basally connate. Petals 5, clawed, +/- unequal, silky pubescent. Stamens 10, all fertile, unequal, one (opposite anterior sepal) much larger than others; filaments connate at the base. Carpels 3, syncarpous, ovary shallowly 3-lobed, 3-5 appendages on abaxial surface, 3-locular with 1 ovule per loculus; style 1, rarely 2, filiform, at first circinate; stigma capitate. Fruit schizocarpic, breaking into 3 samaras (sometimes 1-2), each samara 3-winged; abaxial wing long, erect; lateral wings short, spreading; nut wall thick, tough. Seeds angular, globose.

46 species

Hiptage benghalensis

Hiptage benghalensis (L.) Kurz, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 43: 136. 1874. Banisteria benghalensis L., Sp. Pl. 427.1753.

Stout woody climbers, 3-10 m or more. Branchlets densely yellowish brown or silver-grey pubescent appressed hairs. Leaves opposite, elliptic, 9-19 cm x 3-9 cm, acute or acuminate, pubescent beneath (hairs adpressed), shiny above, leaves with 2 prominent glands, one each on either side of midrib at base and some more less prominent glands above in young leaves; glands red or orange. Petiole up to 0.5-1 cm long, canalicute adaxially. Axillary and Terminal, axillary or ramal racemes, solitary or in clusters, up to 20 cm long, erect, yellowish brown, softly tomentose. Flowers +/-2 cm across, creamish-white, very fragrant, bracteate, bracteolate, zygomorphic, bisexual, 5-merous, hypogynous. Bracts 3-4.5 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, pubescent, deciduous; bracteoles 2, ca. 3 mm long, linear, lanceolate, present halfway up the pedicel; pedicel jointed at middle or distally, 1.0-2.5 cm long. Sepals 5, free, oblong, ca. 8 mm long (up to 1 cm in fruit), appressed pubescent; one calycine gland ( occasionally 2) reddish brown, ca. 4 mm long, present between the two sepals and partly adnate to pedicel. Petals 5, alternating with sepals, sub-orbicular to obovate, ca. 1 cm long, clawed, margin fimbriate, creaming white, posterior one the largest and with a yellow centre; with appressed pubescent hairs to the outside, glabrous to sparsely pubescent within. Stamens 10, connate at the base, all fertile, unequal, one (opposite anterior sepal) much larger than others; filament of the longest stamen 1-1.4 cm long, twice as long or longer than the shorter ones (3-5 mm), slightly dilated and connate at base; anthers ovate to elliptic, 1-2 mm long. Carpels 3, syncarpous; ovary shallowly 3-lobed, pubescent, 3-locular with 1 ovule per loculus; style single, 1.3-1.5 cm long, slightly curved, lower part with appressed hairs; stigma capitate. Fruit samara, mericarps 1-3, pubescent; wings oblong, lanceolate, the two laterals (1.5-3.0 cm long) shorter than median one, 4-6 cm x 1-1.6 cm; base of wing with one triangular crested appendage. Seeds sub-globose.

Flowering and Fruiting: February to May
Common Names: Hiptage, Helicopter Flower; Madhavi Lata (Hindi)