A flora of Manila - Rainforestation

EUPHORBIACEAE 297
Shrubs from fleshy roots, the leaf-lobes 3 to 7, lanceolate to oblong-oblan-
ceolate; fruit longitudinally 6 ridged 1. M. utilissima
Trees with 3- to 5-lobed leaves; the lobes obovate to elliptic; fruit not
ridged _ 2. M. glaziovii
1. M. UTILISSIMA Pohl. Camoteng-cahoy (Tag.) ; Cassava, Manioc, Tapioca
Plant.
An erect, glabrous suffrutescent or shruby plant 1.5 to 3 m high from
stout fleshy roots. Leaves 10 to 20 cm long, pale beneath, palmately
divided nearly to the base into 3 to 7, lanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate,
entire, acuminate segments, some of the upper leaves often entire. Inflorescence
axillary, lax, few-flowered. Flowers about 1 cm long. Capsules
ovoid, about 1.5 cm long, longitudinally narrowly 6-winged.
Common in hedge-rows along streets, etc., rarely flowering in Manila;
common and widely distributed in the Philippines in cultivation. A native
of tropical America, now planted in all warm countries.
*2. M. GLAZIOVII Muell.-Arg, Ceara Rubber Tree.
A glabrous tree reaching a height of 12 m or more, with thin, somewhat
papery baz-k. Leaves long-petioled, 8 to 20 cm long, somewhat
peltate at the cordate base, glaucous beneath, palmately 3- to 5-lobed,
the lobes obovate to broadly elliptic, acute or shortly acuminate, entire.
Panicles in the uppermost axils, shorter than the leaves. Flowers about 1
cm long. Capsule ellipsoid, 2 to 2.3 cm long, not longitudinally ridged.
Singalon, cultivated, fl. Sept.; of recent introduction here. One of
the commercial rubber trees, a native of Brazil.
21. ALCHORNEA Swartz
Trees or shrubs, dioecious or monoecious, with simple, entire or toothed
leaves, usually glandular at the base and often 3- or 5-nerved. Male
flowers small, clustered on axillary or terminal, solitary or panicled spikes,
the bracts small. Calyx small, globose, 2- to 4-valved. Petals none. Stamens
6 to 8 or more, the filaments free or connate below. Rudimentary
ovary none. Female flowers in axillary or terminal spikes. Sepals 3 to
6, imbricate. Petals none. Ovary 2- to 4-celled; styles distinct, often
long; ovules 1 in each cell. Capsule of two or three, 2-valved, crustaceous
cocci.
Species about 30 of wide tropical distribution, 2 in the Philippines.
1. A. sicca (Blanco) Merr. Balanti (Tag.).*
An erect dioecious shrub usually 1 to 2 m high, glabrous or nearly so.
Leaves ovate, 3 to 12 cm long, crenulate, acuminate, base glandular,
rounded, 3-nerved. Male spikes axillary, catkin-like, green and purplish,
• 1 to 5 cm long, about 3 mm thick, flowers numerous, densely arranged.
Stamens 8. Female flowers small, scattered in slender, erect, few-flowered,
2 to 10 cm long spikes, each flower with 3 acuminate bracts longer than
the calyx, the styles simple, purple. Capsules ovoid, rugose, about 8 mm
in diameter. (Fl. Filip. pi. 307, Excoecaria sicca.)
In thickets Pasay to San Felipe Neri, Pasig, etc., fl. Mar.-June; of
local occurrence in the Philippines. Endemic.
* This name is usually applied to species of HomalanthxLS that do not
occur in our area.