Microtropis latifolia

Microtropis latifolia Wight ex M.A.Lawson, Fl. Brit. India 1: 613 1875.;

Habit- Small trees, up to 5 m tall.

Branches and Branchlets- Branches terete, black-purple.
Leaves- Leaves simple, opposite to subopposite, decussate; petiole 0.5-1 cm long, canaliculate; lamina 7-15 x 2.5-6.5 cm, elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, base acute to attenuate, margin entire, margins reflexed, pale beneath, glabrous, coriaceous; secondary nerves ca. 8 pairs, not prominent; tertiary nerves obscure.
Inflorescence / Flower- Flowers in sessile clusters, axillary.
Fruit and Seed- Capsule, ellipsoid, 1.5 cm long; 1-seeded

Understorey trees in medium elevation evergreen forests, between 700 and 1500m.

Endemic to the Western Ghats- Central Sahyadri (Palakkad hills, South Malanad and Central Malanad).

(Attributions- B. R. Ramesh, N. Ayyappan, Pierre Grard, Juliana Prosperi, S. Aravajy, Jean Pierre Pascal, The Biotik Team, French Institute of Pondicherry. from India Biodiversity Portal)               

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ANNOV37/37 Please identify this shrub : 10 posts by 4 authors. Attachments (6)

Date: 14th November 2015
Place: Agumbe, Shimoga District, Karnataka
Habit: Shrub
Habitat: Semi-evergreen forest next to a stream

Can this be Microtropis stocksii Gamble or Microtropis latifolia Wight ex Lawson? Key to the other species can be found here.

Leaf shape in the Biotik page seems to match Microtropis latifolia Wight ex Lawson but I am not sure.

Yes …, I think you are right in thinking it to be M. latifolia.

… expressed his doubts about the ID of this plant. Perhaps it could be another genus entirely. I am at a loss for any further clues/suggestions.

The fruit certainly looks like Microtropis. Wait until it open or try to tear the fruit open. Using the key in the hyperlink below one needs to see the venation prominent below, and the fruit are (very) slightly obovate. I am not so sure about leaves acute. These are all characters that could look differently once pressed

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