红果胡椒 hong guo hu jiao

Climbers glabrous except for rachis and bases of bracts, dioecious. Stems drying brown, ca. 2 mm thick, densely and finely striated. Petiole (0.4-)1-1.5 cm, sheathed at base only; leaf blade oblong or ovate-lanceolate, 7-12 × 2.5-3 cm, papery, densely glandular, base slightly tapered or rounded, symmetric, apex acuminate to long acuminate and mucronate; veins 5, adaxially sulcate, abaxially prominent, apical pair usually arising 1.5 cm above base, nearly reaching leaf apex, other pair basal; reticulate veins abaxially conspicuous. Spikes leaf-opposed. Male spikes less than 1.5 cm when young; peduncle longer than opposing young leaf petioles; bracts orbicular, ca. 0.7 mm wide, peltate, pubescent, stalked. Stamens 2; filaments inconspicuous when young. Female spikes ca. 6.5 cm; peduncle slightly longer than petioles; rachis villous; bracts orbicular, stalk long, obconical, pubescent. Ovary distinct; stigmas 3, lanceolate. Drupe red, drying brown, globose, ca. 3 mm in diam. Fl. Apr-May.

Climbing on trees; 300-400 m. S Yunnan [N Vietnam]