18. Schisandra propinqua (Wallich) Baillon, Hist. Pl. 1: 148. 1868.
合蕊五味子 he rui wu wei zi
Plants glabrous throughout. Young branches lacking wings; leaf-bearing branches elongated. Petiole 0.4-2.7 cm; leaf blade elliptic to ovate, (5-)7-11.5(-20) × 1-4(-8.5) cm, papery to leathery, not glaucous, secondary veins (4 or)5 or 6(-9) on each side of midvein, base cuneate, broadly cuneate, or truncate, margin entire, subentire, denticulate-serrulate, or rarely serrate, apex shortly acuminate. Flowers axillary to fugacious bracts at base of young shoots or axillary to leaves, solitary or in clusters; peduncle 2-17 mm (staminate), 3-14 mm (pistillate). Tepals 7-17, cream, yellow, orange, pink, or purplish, largest 3-12.5 × 2.5-10 mm. Staminate flowers: stamens (4-)8-18, connate into an androecial mass; anthers on conspicuous connectives; pollen 6-colpate. Pistillate flowers: carpels 18-52; pseudostyle flat and subulate. Fruit peduncle 0.5-3 cm; torus 2-6.5 cm; apocarps red to purple, 4.5-9 × 4-8.5 mm. Seed testa ± smooth. Fl. Mar-Sep, fr. Aug-Dec.
Mixed forests, open scrub; 400-3100 m. Gansu, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan [N India, Indonesia (Bali, Java), E Myanmar, Nepal, N Thailand].
This species is a horticultural plant with edible fruit. It is used medicinally.
Schisandra propinqua subsp. propinqua (Kadsura propinqua Wallich, Tent. Fl. Napal. 11. 1824) occurs in NW India and Nepal.
