Macaranga mellifera Prain

Euphorbiaceae, A. Radcliffe-Smith. Flora Zambesiaca 9:4. 1996

Morphology General Habit

A tree up to 18(30) m high, with ascending or spreading branches and a compact crown.

Morphology General Bark

Bark smooth, grey.

Morphology General Wood

Wood soft, white.

Morphology General Shoots

Young shoots, petioles and inflorescence axes ferruginous-tomentellous and gland-dotted at first, soon glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules 3 mm long, lanceolate, acute, deciduous.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles 3–8(14) cm long, pulvinate.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Leaf blades (5)8–12(24) × (3)4–10(15) cm, ovate to elliptic-ovate, rounded to obtuse or subacute and shortly acuminate at the apex, cuneate to rounded or truncate and somewhat cordulate-auriculate at the base, 2-glandular on upper surface at the base, entire or subentire, sometimes remotely and shallowly glandular-denticulate, subcoriaceous, glabrous above, densely gland-dotted beneath and glabrous except for the densely hirsute lower third of the midrib and basal nerves; 3(5)-nerved from the base, lateral nerves in 6–7(8) pairs, looped, tertiary nerves parallel.

sex Male

Male flowers sessile, honey-scented; calyx lobes 3–4, 1.5 × 1 mm, ovate, acute or obtuse, glandular, yellow; stamens 13–17, the filaments of the inner 3–6 fused almost to the top, those of the outer ones united only at the base. Male inflorescences 4–7 cm long, densely paniculate; bracts small, 1–1.5 mm long, ovate, acute, entire, eglandular, many-flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Female inflorescences 2–5(7) cm long, racemose; bracts usually 1–2-flowered. Male inflorescences 4–7 cm long, densely paniculate; bracts small, 1–1.5 mm long, ovate, acute, entire, eglandular, many-flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers pedicellate, pedicels c. 2 mm long; calyx c. 1 mm across, cupular, ± truncate or scarcely 3-lobed, green; ovary less than 1 mm in diameter, subglobose, unilocular, densely granulate-glandular and with or without a few fleshy warts; style lateral, 3–5 mm long, massive, subulate, thick, straight or recurved, ± smooth. Male flowers sessile, honey-scented; calyx lobes 3–4, 1.5 × 1 mm, ovate, acute or obtuse, glandular, yellow; stamens 13–17, the filaments of the inner 3–6 fused almost to the top, those of the outer ones united only at the base.

sex Female

Female flowers pedicellate, pedicels c. 2 mm long; calyx c. 1 mm across, cupular, ± truncate or scarcely 3-lobed, green; ovary less than 1 mm in diameter, subglobose, unilocular, densely granulate-glandular and with or without a few fleshy warts; style lateral, 3–5 mm long, massive, subulate, thick, straight or recurved, ± smooth. Female inflorescences 2–5(7) cm long, racemose; bracts usually 1–2-flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 4 × 4 mm, subglobose, sparingly verrucose, densely granulate-glandular, pale yellowish-green.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 3.5 × 3.5 mm, subglobose, endotesta rugulose, dull, with a purplish-black fleshy exotesta.