Schefflera wallichiana (Wight & Arn.) Harms, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3(8): 38 1894. (syn: Aralia wallichiana (Wight & Arn.) D.Dietr.; Heptapleurum wallichianum (Wight & Arn.) Seem.; Paratropia wallichiana Wight & Arn.); E Himalaya, NE & S India as per BSI Flora of India checklist ; Trees; upto 12 m; bark 5-8 mm thick, surface grey, rough; branchlets 2 cm thick. Leaves digitately, compound, alternate, stipulate;. stipules adnate within the petiole, 1.5 cm broad, hyaline; rachis 17-37 cm long, stout, cylindric, glabrous, sheathing at base; petiolule 4-6.5 cm long, whorled, stout; leaflets 5-8, 14-24 x 5-8 cm, oblong or ovate, base subcordate, truncate or round; apex obtusely acuminate or acute; margin entire, coriaceous, glabrous; lateral nerves 10-21 pairs, very slender, nearly horizontal; intercostae obscure. Flowers bisexual, pale green, 6-8 mm across, 12-20 together in umbels on elongate racemes arranged in panicles on short axis; pedicel 7 mm long; calyx truncate; petals 5, valvate, cohering in a cap which is raised by stamens; stamens 5; ovary inferior, syncarpus, cells as many as petals; style absent; stigma sessile. Fruit a berry, 5-6 mm across, globose, 5 angled, crowned with disc; pyrenes 5, 1-seeded. Flowering and fruiting: April-May Evergreen forests South India and Sri Lanka (Attributions- Dr. N Sasidharan (Dr. B P Pal Fellow), Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi from India Biodiversity Portal) India: Assam, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu (Attributions- Dr. Chandra Barooah & Iftikher Ahmed (2014) Assam Science Technology and Environment Council from India Biodiversity Portal) This small tree was not accessible to get close up pics, was photographed in June 2017 from Cherrapunji, I think this belongs to Araliaceae.. Your inputs please.. It definitely is Araliaceae. But as of now am uncertain about its correct identity. Pl. check at https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/species/a---l/ar/araliaceae Pl. check Schefflera species (as per images herein) in particular Schefflera venulosa (Wight & Arn.) Harms I am tempted to go with S. wallichiana. Kindly check the attached literature photos Attachments (2) As I could not record close pics, exact identification is not easy. I can only say, this does not look like Schefflera venulosa to me..and I cannot see the pics/references by ... in support of S. wallichiana, it will be good if they are shared again.. I will also like to go with ... for Schefflera wallichiana as per the following: References: The Plant List Ver.1.1 WCSP IPNI Catalogue of Life Biotik Wikispecies GBIF (with type specimens) BSI Flora of India checklist India Biodiversity Portal Encyclopedia of Life (Specimen) A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon -, Volume 10 By M. D. Dassanayake (2017- details with keys) |
# Species- Seed plants (families) > A---L (families & genera) > Ar > Araliaceae > Schefflera >