Scandent shrub or small tree to 6 m high, glabrous or with small brown strigose hairs on young parts, sometimes persisting on the petiole and underside of the midrib. Leaves ovate to oblong, 9-22 by 4-10 cm, stiffly chartaceous, often more or less bullate, base broadly cuneate, rounded or subcordate, apex shortly apiculate, margin with small or coarse indu-rated, sharp dentations, midrib, lateral veins and reticulation of minor veins prominent below; petiole channelled above, to c. 8 mm long. Monoecious. Inflorescences axillary or supra-axillary, male and female flowers in separate inflorescences; simple triads or a small cymose panicle, 10-20 mm long, peduncle c. 2 mm long with minute bracts; female a few-flowered fascicle, pedicels becoming woody in fruit and elongating to 20-30 mm. Male receptacle ovoid, 3 by 2.5 mm, tepals in 4 pairs; stamens 4-6, subsessile, anthers broadly triangular with a single horseshoe-shaped opening. Female receptacle ovoid, 5 by 4 mm, sometimes pubescent, ostiole sur-rounded by minute tepals and bearing within large pendulous glands; carpels c. 12-18, pubescent with short obtuse stigma. Fruiting receptacle leathery, c. 10 mm Ø. Drupes ± sessile, ovoid, c. 14 by 10 mm, surface (when dry) verruculose.
Lower montane and mossy forest (Notho-fagus, Podocarpus, Pandanus) and at forest/burnt grassland margin, between 2500-3000 m.
Home