崖藤属 ya teng shu

Epinetrum Hiern.

Woody vines. Stems with prominent discoid petiole scars. Petiole conspicuously swollen at both ends; leaf blade usually elliptic, not peltate, papery or leathery, pinnately veined. Male inflorescences axillary or on old leafless stems, cymose. Male flowers: sepals in 3 whorls, outer and middle whorls minute, free, inner whorl large, connate into a corolloid tube, apex minutely 3-lobed; petals 3 or 6, minute, slightly fleshy; stamens 18-27, connate into a conical synandrium, anthers 2-celled, dehiscing transversely. Female inflorescences mostly reduced to solitary flowers. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male; carpels 6, elongate-ovoid, attenuated upward into a subulate style. Drupes radiating from margin of a swollen tomentulose carpophore terminating peduncle, usually subellipsoid, style scar near base; mesocarp granular when dry; endocarp crustaceous or subligneous, ± ellipsoid, almost smooth or slightly rugose; condyle slightly prominent or inconspicuous. Seed without endosperm; cotyledons very thick; radicle minute.

About 17 species: 12 species in Africa, five in SE Asia; one species in China.

Lower Taxon

• Albertisia laurifolia Yamamoto