Thanks Sinha ji for posting this interesting species and earlier discussoins on the same. Would like to inform that as per Kew Plant Llist Fluggea species are now in the family Phyllanthaceae. The species under discussion are two distinct species : I) Fluggea leucopyrus Willd. (accepted name ) syn- Securinega leucopyrus (Willd) Muell-Arg 2) Fluggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Royle (accepted name ) syn - Securinega virosa (Roxb.ex Willd.) Pax. & Hoffm.
Your picture appears to me as Fluggea virosa due to the description you have given of spines only in the lower main branches, and I can see small lenticular specks on the bark which is indicative of the species.In Fluggea leucopyrus the branches are somewhat straggling, branchlets angular, slender, and ending in sharp spines. A simple key from Dr. Almeida's flora Vol IV-B pg 350: 1.Unarmed; leaves 2.5-8cm long-------------------------------- Fluggea obovata 2.Spinous; leaves rarely exceeding 2.5 cm long-----------Fluggea leucopyrus regards, Rashida. On Mon, Mar 14, 2011 at 12:50 AM, A.Sinha <[email protected]> wrote: > Are Flueggea virosa and leucopyrus one and the same ? > > For some time i believed that the pics attached here are those of Flueggea > leucopyrus. This specimen had grey-whitish branches, unarmed, except the > ends of lower branches were spine tipped. > But chancing upon Vijayshankar-jis comment (1st link ) that the spine > tipped branches would be an indicator for which species, > I re-checked the descriptions from the links below. > > > To my inexpert view , the two species descriptions are really close, and > even overlapping ; except for leaf size and the F.virosa leaf being > mucronate, > but according to one ref. even F.virosa may infrequently have > spine-tipped branches. Pictues and illustrations avlbl online also seem > to overlap wrt leaf blade /apex shape > > Is presence of spine tipped brances a definitve identifier, , at least > for the Indian species ? And are there other differences ? > > regards > Akhila Sinha > > Securinega > leucopyros<https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix/browse_thread/thread/f9c7c9ea89d75d20/201f4c6400fd3f91?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=flueggea#201f4c6400fd3f91> > 0Efloras India) > *Flueggea virosa* in Flora of China @ > efloras.org<http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242322736> > *Flueggea virosa* (Roxb. ex Willd.) - Nationaal Herbarium > Nederland<http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/euphorbs/specF/Flueggea.htm> > > >
