Vitex scabra Wall. ex Schauer

Chantaranothai, P., S. Koomgratok, & Simpson, D. (2004). Taxonomic Notes on Some Southeast Asian Species of Vitex. (Lamiaceae). Kew Bulletin, 59(2), 319-320. doi:10.2307/4115870

Type

Holotype: Myanmar, Segaen (Sokaen), 1826, Wallich 1758 (holotype K-W). Epitype: Thailand, Udon Thani, Kerr 8612 (epitype K; isoepitypes BK, BKF).

Morphology General Habit

Medium-sized tree up to 12 m high, with buttresses and large spines

Morphology General Bark

Bark yellowish, slightly smooth or cracked

Morphology Leaves

Leaves palmately compound, with 3 - 5 leaflets; petiole 2 - 4 cm long; leaflets elliptic or obovate, 2 - 10 x 1 - 4 cm, apex acuminate, base attenuate or acute, margin crenate or entire, middle leaflet largest and the lowest pair smallest, chartaceous, both surfaces of leaflets with scabrid hairs and scattered yellowish glands; secondary veins in 5 - 10 pairs; petiolule 1 - 3 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence in terminal panicles, the panicles 4 - 12 x 2 - 6 cm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Peduncle 2 - 3 cm long; compound cyme with linear bractlets, 2.5 - 3 mm long; pedicel 1 - 2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx cup-shaped, 3.5 - 5 mm long, 5- lipped, outside brownish-green, with short hairs and scattered glands, inside glabrous with brownish lines

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla funnel-shaped, 6.5 - 14 mm long, pale yellow or yellow; upper lobe 3 - 3.5 x 1 - 1.5 mm, triangular or slightly rounded, lower lobe 3.5 - 4 x 2.5 - 3 mm, rounded, crenate; tube 3 - 10 mm long, outside glabrous or sparsely hairy, inside with whitish hairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens didynamous; short filaments 3.5 - 4 mm long, long filaments 5.5 - 6.5 mm long, all filaments ? glabrous with whitish hairs at the base; anthers 1 - 1.5 mm long, dark yellow or black

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary globose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 7 - 14 x 0.5 - 0.8 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits ovoid, rarely globose, 1 - 1.5 cm in diam., green with scattered whitish dots when young, black when mature, with persistent calyx.

Distribution

Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia.

Ecology

In dry dipterocarp, mixed deciduous and dry evergreen forests.

Phenology

Flowering April - August.

Vernacular

Ee pae, Sa kaang, Mak kaang, Maak lek maak noi.

Note

Whilst carrying out our work for the Flora of Thailand Vitex account, flowering and fruiting material was found that was initially thought to belong to an undescribed taxon. However, further investigation showed that, vegetatively, it matched the description of V.scabra. Given that the holotype does not adequately represent the taxon, we have designated Kerr 8612 (K), which is flowering and fruiting, as an epitype. Vitex scabra is a distinct taxon because of the markedly scabrous leaves and the buttresses and spines on the stem. It is similar to the Indo-Chinese species, V. annamensis Dop which also has paniculate inflorescences and palmately compound leaves. The obvious distinguishing characters of V. scabra are the scattered scabrid hairs on the upper leaf surface with tomentum on the midrib, secondary veins and leaf margin and the pubescent branchlets, petiole, inflorescence and calyx. In V. annamensis all these parts are glabrous. Most of the Thai collections of V. scabra have been misidentified as V. quinata which has larger inflorescences and leaves and a different inflorescence type. Given this confuision it is possible that V. scabra has been overlooked elsewhere.