Excoecaria acerifolia Didr.

Shrubs 1-3 m tall, glabrous; branchlets longitudinally angulate, sparsely lenticellate. Leaves alternate; stipules small, gland-shaped, ca. 0.5 mm; petioles 2-5 mm, eglandular; leaf blade ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or lanceolate, rarely elliptic, 5-13 × 0.8-6 cm, papery, base attenuate, sometimes obtuse, margins densely acutely glandular-serrate, apex acuminate or long acuminate to caudate-acuminate; midvein elevated on both surfaces, lateral veins 6-10. Flowers unisexual, monoecious and androgynous in terminal and axillary 2.5-6 cm racemes, female in lower part, male in upper part. Male flowers: pedicels short; bracts broadly ovate or triangular, ca. 1.3 × 1.5 mm, apex acute, base bilateral, each with 1 rotund gland, each bract with 2 or 3 flowers; sepals 3, lanceolate, ca. 1.2 × 0.6-0.8 mm; stamens 3; anthers globose, longer than filaments. Female flowers: pedicels short; bracts ovate, ca. 2.5 × 1.5 mm, aristate at apex, acumen to 1.5 mm, base bilateral, each with 1 rounded gland; bractlets 2, oblong, ca. 1.5 cm, apex irregularly 3-serrulate; sepals 3, slightly connate at base, ovate, ca. 1.5 × 1.2 mm, apex acute, margins serrulate; ovary globose, ca. 1.5 mm in diam. Capsules subglobose, triangular, ca. 1 cm in diam. Seeds ovoid, gray-black when dry, smooth, ca. 4 mm in diam.

W. Himalaya (Kumaun to Nepal), Assam.

Gansu, Guangzhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan [India, Nepal].

1100-2000 m

Montane forests and thickets, along rivers and streams in bushlands; 1200-3000 m.

Flowering from June to August.

Excoecaria acerifolia var. acerifolia is close relative of Excoecaria acerifolia var. cuspidata, but differs from the latter in its leaf blade ovate or ovate-lanceolate (vs. lanceolate), rarely elliptic, 6-13 cm long, 2-6 cm wide (vs. 5-9 cm long, 0.8-2 cm wide), apex acuminate (vs. long acuminate to caudate-acuminate).

Excoecaria acerifolia is occurring in Guangzhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Xizang of China, India, Nepal.

Shrubs 1-3 m tall, glabrous; branchlets longitudinally angulate, sparsely lenticellate. Leaves alternate; stipules small, gland-shaped, ca. 0.5 mm; petioles 2-5 mm, eglandular; leaf blade ovate or ovate-lanceolate, rarely elliptic, 6-13 cm long, 2-6 cm wide, papery, base attenuate, sometimes obtuse, margins densely acutely glandular-serrate, apex acuminate; midvein elevated on both surfaces, lateral veins 6-10. Flowers unisexual, monoecious and androgynous in terminal and axillary 2.5-6 cm racemes, female in lower part, male in upper part. Male flowers: pedicels short; bracts broadly ovate or triangular, ca. 1.3 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, apex acute, base bilateral, each with 1 rotund gland, each bract with 2 or 3 flowers; sepals 3, lanceolate, ca. 1.2 mm long, 0.6-0.8 mm wide; stamens 3; anthers globose, longer than filaments. Female flowers: pedicels short; bracts ovate, ca. 2.5 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, aristate at apex, acumen to 1.5 mm, base bilateral, each with 1 rounded gland; bractlets 2, oblong, ca. 1.5 cm, apex irregularly 3-serrulate; sepals 3, slightly connate at base, ovate, ca. 1.5 mm long, 1.2 mm wide, apex acute, margins serrulate; ovary globose, ca. 1.5 mm in diamater. Capsules subglobose, triangular, ca. 1 cm in diam. Seeds ovoid, gray-black when dry, smooth, ca. 4 mm in diameter.

The chromosomal number of Excoecaria acerifolia is 2n = 22 (Gill et al., 1981).

Growing in mountains forests and thickets; 1200-1300 m.

Excoecaria acerifolia is here defined to leaf blade ovate or ovate-lanceolate, rarely elliptic, 6-13 cm long, 2-6 cm wide, apex acuminate.

The seed oil content of Excoecaria acerifolia is up to 26%. The oil is used as soap.

Excoecaria acerifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. It was described in 1857. It is native to Yunnan, China. It is monoecious.