少蕊山柑 shao rui shan gan

Capparis oligostema Hayata.

Shrubs or climbers, 2-4 m tall. Twigs glabrous or sparsely dark yellow shortly pubescent, without stipular spine or with reflexed small spines. Petiole 0.5-1.5 cm; leaf blade oblong-ovate to oblong-obovate, (4-)6-10(-13) × (1.5-)2-4(-6) cm, slightly fleshy when fresh, firmly herbaceous when dry, light green, both surfaces glabrous, midvein abaxially raised and adaxially flat or slightly impressed, secondary veins 7-9 on each side of midvein, slender, abaxially not obvious, and adaxially slightly raised, reticulate veins obscure, base rounded to cuneate, margin often revolute, apex obtuse to slightly mucronate. Inflorescences terminal panicle of many subumbels, to 15 cm, often also with axillary small panicles; peduncle 1-2 cm. Pedicel 1-1.5 cm. Sepals elliptic to nearly orbicular, 2-4 × 1.5-2.5 mm, ± equal, spreading, inwardly concave, caducous after anthesis; sepals of inner whorl with broad membranous margin. Petals white, oblong to ovate, 3-5 × 1.5-2 mm, extremely thin. Stamens 7-9(-12); filaments 8-10 mm; anthers 2-2.5 mm with thin tip. Gynophore 4-6 mm, glabrous; ovary ovoid, 1.5-2 mm, glabrous; placentae 4. Fruit orangish red, globose, 1.5-2(-2.5) cm in diam., smooth; fruiting pericarp thin, leathery. Seeds 1-3 per fruit, 10-12 × ca. 6 mm. Fl. May, fr. Jan.

Seasonal forests, thickets; below 200 m. S Taiwan (Pingdong) [Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, C and S Thailand, S Vietnam; Indian Ocean islands].

The flowers and fruit are unknown for Chinese specimens.