Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Tree, evergreen, usually 4–10(–20) m tall with a single or multiple stems. Apparently hemiparasitic on roots of other plants.

Stems: Often with drooping branches.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades conduplicate–falcate, narrowly elliptic, oblong, to narrowly ovate, (4.1–)5.5–7.9(–10.1) cm long × (1.2–)1.6–3.3(–4.4) cm wide. Apex acute to rounded. Base cuneate (rarely rounded). Surfaces slightly glaucous, more glaucous lower surfacely, light to dark green, chartaceous, surfaces not much paler on lower surfaces side; green, sometimes the young ones often purple–tinged, chartaceous to coriaceous, often appearing wilted. Margins entire, (rarely wavy). Lateral veins barely apparent on both surfaces, yellowish to pink. Petioles (7.7–)11.3– 17.5(–20.7) mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences cymes, sparse, terminal or axillary. Flowers bisexual (perfect), weakly fragrant, red to yellow in bud, longer than wide. Pedicels 1–4(–6) mm long, bracts quickly deciduous. Calyx (sepals) absent. Corolla lobes 4 (–5), concave with thickened margins, papillate, (2.8–)2.6–4.2(–5.8) mm long × (1.6–)2.2–2.9(–3.0) mm wide; flowers light pink turning deep pink with maturity (rarely with white interiors); floral–tube campanulate to cylindrical (2.6–)3.3–5.9(–7.0) mm long × (2.2–)2.4–3.4(–4.3) mm wide, with vertical keel below each corolla lobe; pedicels (0.5–)1.0–2.0 mm long. Stamens 4, hairs proximal to the filaments (rarely hairs distal). Ovary partly inferior (approx. ⅔); drupe elliptic, with subapical ring, 9–14 mm long; stigma lobes 3; disk lobes lingulate, apices acute or round.

Fruit: Drupes reddish purple to nearly black at maturity; 8– 17(–24) mm long; with a subapical receptacular ring. Seeds muricate; with pointed beak on one end.

Ploidy: 2n = 40*

Habitat: Scattered to common in mesic to wet forest; often on slopes or ridges in partial shade to full sun.

Elevation Range: 300–800 m.