Uvaria rufa (Dunal) Blume, Fl. Javae 19, pl. 4, f. 13c 1828. (syn: Guatteria rufa Dunal; Unona setigera Blanco; Uva rufa Kuntze; Uvaria astrosticta Miq.; Uvaria bancana Scheff.; Uvaria branderhorstii Burck; Uvaria fauveliana (Finet & Gagnep.) Pierre ex Ast; Uvaria ridleyi King; Uvaria setigera (Blanco) Blanco; Uvaria solanifolia C.Presl);
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China (Yunnan) to Indo-China and Queensland: Andaman Is., Cambodia, China South-Central, Hainan, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Philippines, Queensland, Sumatera, Thailand, Vietnam as per POWO;
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Scandent climbing shrubs, about 5-6 m long. Bark dark grayish brown, branchlets densely rusty stellate tomentose when young, dark and glabrous when mature. Leaves simple, alternate, lanceolate-elliptic to oblong, 6-13 x 2.5-5 cm across, base obtuse or slightly cordate, margin entire, apex acute, membranous, coriaceous, dark green, shining glabrous above, paler glaucous, except pubescent on the midrib beneath, lateral veins 8-12 on either side of the midrib, impressed above, prominent on the midrib and lateral veins beneath, reticulate veinlets fine and close, petiole stout, tomentose, about 0.4-0.8 cm long. Inflorescence cymose consisting of 1-4 flowers, axillary or extra axillary. Flowers bisexual, dark red or maroon, rusty tomentose, about 1.5 cm in diameter, pedicels slender, tomentose, about 0.6-1 cm long, bracts submedian. Sepals 3, broadly ovate or suborbicular, base connate, apex obtuse, pubescent outside. Petals 6, in 2 series, outer petals, larger than the inner petals, broadly oblong, apex obtuse or rounded, reddish orange or dull reddish purple, minutely pubescent on both sides, about 8-10 x 4-5 mm long. Stamens numerous, about 3-4 mm long, anthers broad, dorsal, connectives flat on the top. Ripe carpels many, subglobose or ellipsoid monocarps, sparsely pubescent, fleshly red, stalk stout, about 2-3 mm long, Seeds many in 2 rows, reddish brown, shining, smooth.
Evergreen to deciduous forests, altitude up to 1500 m.
(Attributions- Ganeshaiah, K. N., UAS, Bangalore, India. Kailash, B. R., UAS & ATREE, Bangalore, India. Indian Bioresource Information Network (IBIN), Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi, India as per India Biodiversity Portal)
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Uvaria rufa (Annonaceae): 2 images.
Botanical name: Uvaria rufa (Dunal) Blume (Annonaceae)
Distribution: India (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) – widespread from China and South-East Asia, through Malesia to Northern Australia.
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References: POWO Catalogue of Life The Plant List Ver.1.1 Tropicos GBIF (High resolution specimens) Flora of China India Biodiversity Portal Wikipedia Useful Tropical Plants inetfarms
