WorldFloraDB - Olax imbricata

Characteristics

Shrub, usually climbing; branchlets unarmed, striate, somewhat pubescent initially, practically glabrous, dark red-brown when dry; lenticels pale. Leaves ovate-to elliptic-oblong, apex subacuminate, acute or blunt, base cuneate or rounded, (sub)coriaceous, shining above, glabrous on both faces, 4-15 (-18) by 2-7.5 cm, nerves 6-9 pairs, rather irregularly curved-ascending, sometimes less in number and more steeply ascending, slightly raised beneath; petiole wrinkled, 5-10 mm. Racemes branched from the base, many-flowered, 1-3 (-5) cm; floral bracts ovate, concave, imbricate in 2 rows when young, caducous, 2-3 mm. Calyx very small. Petals 3, linear-oblong, white or pinkish, 10-12 mm. Stamens 3; staminodia 5 or 6, bifid. Drupe subglobular, rarely oblongoid or obovoid, almost completely covered by the thin accrescent orange calyx, 1.7-2.5 cm. Otherwise as in O. scandens.

More

A shrub. Sometimes it is climbing. It is 2-6 m tall. The branches do not have thorns. The leaf stalk is 5-10 mm long. The leaf blade is oval and 5-10 cm long by 2.5-3.5 cm wide. The base is rounded and it tapers to a short tip. There are 6-9 pairs of veins. The flowering racemes are in the axils of leaves. They are 1.5-2.5 cm long. There are 3 petals 8-10 mm long and they are white or yellow. Two petals have 2 lobes. The fruit is fleshy with a hard covering over the seed. It is oval and almost covered with an orange covering. It is 1.5-2 cm across.

Shrubs, sometimes climbers, 2-6 m tall. Branchlets brown. Petiole 5-10 mm; leaf blade elliptic to ovate-oblong, 5-10 × 2.5-3.5 cm, ± leathery, glabrous, base rounded, apex acute; secondary veins 6-9 on each side of midvein. Inflorescences usually unbranched, 1.5-2.5 cm; rachis zigzagged; peduncle 3-10 mm. Pedicel 1-3 mm. Calyx small, truncate. Petals white or yellowish, 8-10 mm, 1 entire and 2 2-lobed. Style to 1 cm. Drupe ± globose or obovoid, nearly covered by accrescent orange calyx, 1.5-2 cm in diam. Fl. and fr. Apr-Oct.

Life form

perennial

Growth form

shrub

Growth support

parasite

Foliage retention

evergreen

Sexuality

hermaphrodite

Pollination

-

Spread

-

Mature width (meter)

-

Mature height (meter)

3.0 - 5.0

Root system

-

Rooting depth (meter)

-

Root diameter (meter)

-

Flower color

Blooming months

-

Fruit color

-

Fruiting months

Jan	Feb	Mar
Apr	May	Jun
Jul	Aug	Sep
Oct	Nov	Dec

Nitrogen fixer

-

Photosynthetic pathway

-

Environment

Forests or secondary forests at elevations below 200 metres. Primary and secondary forests, in dry brushwood, on coral limestone and occasionally in mangrove or peat swamp, at elevations up to 900 metres.

More

A tropical plant. It grows in forests including secondary forests below 200 m in S China. It can be in mangrove and peat swamp and can grow up to 900 m above sea level.

In primary, also often in secondary forest, dry brushwood, on coral limestone, but also occasionally in mangrove or peat swamp, at low elevations, rarely up to 900 m.

Light	-
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Soil acidity	-
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Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

The aril or fleshy layer around the seeds in the fruit is eaten. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable.

Uses	food medicinal
Edible	fruits leaves
Therapeutic use	-
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Can be grown by seedlings.

Mode	seedlings
Germination duration (days)	-
Germination temperacture (C°)	-
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	-
Minimum temperature (C°)	-
Optimum temperature (C°)	-
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-