Uncaria laevigata

Unidentified climber found in Manipur, at low elevations. Notice the hooked thorns.

At first I thought it is a Smilax species, but leaf veins pattern doesn’t agree.

Any help in identification will be welcome.

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So what is it finally ?
Also check Uncaria scandens (Sm.) Hutch.

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I still think it is Uncaria laevigata, although I am not able to say it with full confidence. The details of the flowers agree with the images here:

The hooked thorns in this genus are generally paired in most species. However, in my plant they don’t seem to be paired. In the herbarium image of Uncaria laevigata at POWO, also don’t seem to be paired. However, I could not find mention of the nature of thorns in the description at Flora of China. In many images of U. laevigata on GBIF too, I find unpaired thorns. Don’t know if it is a feature of this species or a coincidence.

My plant doesn’t agree well with the illustration of Uncaria scandens here:

Any more inputs will be welcome.

Two species appears rather close as per keys from Flora of China:

9 (8)	Leaf blade not glaucous abaxially, with tertiary venation mostly reticulate and not strongly scalariform on adaxial surface; peduncles simple; corolla lobes externally glabrous; fruit 6-8 mm.		3 U. laevigata
+	Leaf blade often glaucous abaxially, with tertiary venation rather evidently scalariform at least on adaxial surface; peduncles simple or often branched; corolla lobes externally sericeous; fruit 10-14 mm.		10 U. sessilifructus

You have to examine closely these with the original images, to come to the conclusion.

Yes …,

I have been doing that. One feature I want to point out is that in the attached illustration of Uncaria sessilifructus I have marked some objects by red – they are bracts I guess. These are seen in the drawings at FOC and also in all herbarium images of Uncaria sessilifructus that I have seen. These objects are missing in the plant whose images I posted. These objects are also not there in the herbarium image of Uncaria laevigata at POWO.

Leaf undersides don’t appear glaucous, in the attached closeup of leaves.

Thanks, … I think you are right.

I checked in GBIF for specimens from India and it seems to be correct as per Specimen from Manipur.

Looks different from Uncaria sessilifructus Roxb. as per GBIF– specimen in India

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MS Dec,2019/05 Uncaria sp. ? for ID : 2 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (3)
Location : Marpara, Mizoram

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What are the keys in your book?

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Can you send high res. images to check the corolla as per the keys?

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2 high res. images.

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Thanks, …, for pointing this out.
Taking it as
https://efloraofindia.com/2020/12/07/uncaria-laevigata/

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