Guilandina bonduc L.

Shrub or sometimes a small shrubby tree, spreading, scrambling or ± scandent, up to 6 m high. Stems fulvous-pubescent at least when young and ± densely armed with spreading straight or slightly deflexed prickles of varying length. Leaves pubescent at least when young: petiole up to 10 cm long, armed with recurved prickles particularly on the lower side but sometimes throughout; rhachis up to 40 cm long, armed on the lower side with reflexed prickles, often in pairs particularly at the insertions of the pinnae and sometimes also with a solitary ± straight prickle on the upper side at the insertion of the pinnae; pinnae 3-10 pairs; rhachillae (4)6-18 cm long, usually with paired reflexed prickles on the lower side at the insertions of the leaflets but occasionally unarmed; leaflets (4)6-10 pairs per pinna, 1-5 cm long, (0.5)0.8-2.3(2.5) cm wide, asymmetrically ovate or elliptic-to ovate-oblong, obtuse or subacute to acuminate apically, appressed-pubescent on both surfaces when young but often becoming glabrescent except for midrib and margins with age. Stipules conspicuous, leafy, usually with 3 unequal-sized often asymmetric lobes resembling leaflets, each 0.3-2.5 cm long, 0.2-2.5 cm wide, mucronate and rounded to emarginate apically. Racemes up to 40 cm long, axillary, pedunculate, simple or with 1-2 branches below, often sparsely prickly; bracts up to 14 mm long, linear-lanceolate, exceeding the subtended buds and reflexing as the buds develop, deciduous ± when the buds open. Flowers pale yellow, on pedicels 4-9 mm long. Sepals 4-7 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, rusty-pubescent outside. Petals 6-10 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, oblanceolate-oblong, the upper one broader and stouter than the others. Stamens 4-7 mm long; filaments densely villous basally, glabrous above. Ovary densely setulose. Pods brown, 4.5-8 cm long, 3.5-5 cm wide, broadly elliptic-oblong, usually 1-2-seeded, valves coriaceous, fairly densely covered with stiff spreading prickles up to 9 mm long, ultimately dehiscing along the upper suture. Seeds ±1.5-2 cm in diameter, globose to subglobose, hard, leaden-grey, the testa regularly transversely and finely cracked.

Thickets, roadsides, near seashores from near sea level to 200 metres in southern China. Found in a variety of coastal habitats, including back mangal, but especially in disturbed sites, also inland chiefly in secondary forest up to 800 metres.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.