MONOON

Monoon Miq., Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavi 2: 15.1865; World Flora Online.

72 species

Monoon longifolium

Monoon longifolium (Sonn.) B.Xue & R.M.K. Saunders, Taxon 61:1032.2012; Polyalthia longifolia ( Sonnerat) Thwait., Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 398. 1864; Hook. f. & Thomas in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 1: 62. 1872; Cooke, Fl. Pres. Bomb. 1: 13. 1901; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 7. 1918 (Reprint 1973); Fl. China @ eFloras.org 19: 695; Khatoon, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 7; **Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula Benthall, Trees Calcutta: xliii, 11. 1958, no latin descr.

A large evergreen tree, up to 20 m tall, trunk straight. Branches spreading or pendulous, finely striate, minutely puberulent when young, soon glabrous. Leaves alternate; petiole 5-10 mm long, minutely puberulent or glabrous; leaf blade ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, 14-25 cm x 2.5-4.5 cm, thinly coriaceous, glabrous (juvenile leaves puberulent), adaxially dark glossy green, abaxially pale, base usually cuneate, margin undulate, apex acuminate tapering to a fine point, midvein raised abaxially, secondary veins 18-24+ on each side of midvein. Inflorescence axillary, fasciculate, shortly paniculate, 1.5 cm long, rachis to 1 cm. Flowers mostly bisexual, hypogynous, actinomorphic, pale yellowish green, small, 2.5-4 cm across. Pedicel 2-4 cm, pubescent; bract minute, caducous; bracteole usually 1 at middle of petiole, semiamplexicaul, tomentulose. Sepals 3, free, valvate or slightly imbricate, broadly deltoid, ovate-triangular, 1.5-3 mm x 1.5-1.8 mm, outside tomentulose, apex obtuse or subacute. Petals 6, free, biseriate, triangular-lanceolate, spreading, 1.3-1.9 cm x 0.2-0.4 cm, outer slightly smaller than inner, base broad, tapering into a fine point, pubescent on both surfaces, pale green to yellowish green. Receptacle convex. Stamens numerous, ca. 1 mm long; filaments very short; cuneiform, connective tip expanded to become orbicular- or rhomboidal-shaped concealing thecae, convex or subtruncate, thecae unequal. Carpels 20-25, apocarpous, ca. 1.5 mm long, oblong, ovary glabrous, apex tomentulose, ovule 1 per carpel; stigma sessile, papillate. Fruit an aggregate up to of 15 berries (monocarps) on up to 3.7 cm long woody stalk. Mature monocarp 2-2.5 cm x ca. 1.5 cm, ovoid, rounded at both ends, purplish-black, 1-seeded, stipe 1-2 cm long, stout, glabrous. Seeds large, ca. 1.5 cm x 1.2 cm, broadly oblong, both ends rounded, albumen copious, ruminate.

Flowering and Fruiting: April to May; Plants with pendulous branches never seen in flowering in this area
Common Names: False Ashoka, Buddha Tree, Indian Mast Tree, Indian Fir Tree, Ashoka Tree

Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula **

Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula Benthall

It is cultivar of Polyalthia longifolia and is a common garden tree member. It resembles P. longifolia but it has pendulous branches (weeping variety), even reaching the floor. It has never been seen flowering.