Glochidion obscurum (Roxb. ex Willd.) Blume, Bijdr. (1825)

Latin for 'obscure'.

Synonyms
Bradleia glaucophylla Hassk.
Bradleia kipareh Steud.
Bradleia pinnata Roxb. [Illegitimate]
Diasperus kipareh (Mull.Arg.) Kuntze
Diasperus obscurus (Roxb. ex Willd.) Kuntze
Glochidion blumeanum Mull.Arg.
Glochidion glaucum Blume
Glochidion pinnatum (Roxb.) Voigt
Glochidion roxburghianum Mull.Arg.
Phyllanthus kipareh Mull.Arg.
Phyllanthus obscurus Roxb. ex Willd.

Diagnostics
Understorey tree up to 19 m tall and 30 cm dbh. Stipules ca. 1.5 mm long. Leaves alternate, simple, penni-veined, glabrous, whitish below. Flowers ca. 4 mm diameter, yellow, placed in axillary bundles. Fruits ca. 10 mm long, green, dehiscent capsules, often only one per leaf axill, seeds with orange red arils.

Description
Shrubs to treelets up to 19 m high, dbh up to 30 cm; flowering twigs up to 3 mm thick, green; mainly densely pilose all over. Outer bark roughened, vertically cracked and flaking, grey to brown. Leaves: stipules triangular, c. 1.2 by 1.5 mm, caducous; petiole 2.5-3.5 mm long; blade elliptic, 2.4-6.4 by 1.6-2.4 cm, length/width ratio 1.4-2.7, subcoriaceous, base strongly oblique, margin flat, apex obtuse to acuminately obtuse (to acute), less hairy on upper surface than underneath, lower surface grey-green; venation very slightly raised above, raised below, nerves 10 or 11 per side, veins reticulate. Inflorescences fascicles of mainly c. 3 flowers, one of which pistillate. Flowers pale yellow; sepals 6, free. Staminate flowers c. 4 mm in diameter; pedicel up to 7.2 mm long, green; sepals light green, stiff, elliptic to obovate, outer ones 2.3-2.5 by 1.1-1.3 mm, inner ones 2-2.3 by 0.6-0.9 mm; stamens 4 or 5, androecium c. 1 mm long, anthers c. 0.6 mm long, light green, connective teeth c. 0.2 mm long. Pistillate flowers 3.5-4 mm in diameter; pedicel 1.1-19 mm in fruit; sepals triangular, light green, outer ones 1.2-1.3 by 0.9-1 mm, inner ones 1-1.6 by 0.4-0.7 mm; ovary 6-locular, 2.2-2.3 by 1.4-2 mm high, light green; stigmas in a long cone, 1.2-2 mm long, apically coarsely toothed. Fruits subglobose, 12-14 by 10-12 mm high, not lobed, sutures slightly raised, dehiscing tardily, yellowish green (unripe?); wall thick, thickening apically up to c. 2 mm; column c. 7 mm long, base thickened, rest of axes seemingly consisting of loose fibres. Seeds c. 5 by 3.8-4 mm, red. [from Flora Malesiana]

Ecology
In disturbed forests or on open places along rivers, also in keranga forests up to 1500 m altitude. On sandy to clay soils, but also found on limestone.

Distribution
Indo-China, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, Borneo, Celebes.

Local names
Borneo: Chakak-chakak, Dampul, Kayu ulet, Merabah, Obah nasi, Rupes, Seleman, Tawaino.
Thailand: Khram (Satun), Ma rua (Nakhton Si Thammarat), Ruat (Phangnga).