Iodes balansae Gagnep.

Fig. 12.10–12.13

Material examined

Specimen used for endocarp and fruit description

CHINA • Liu 171; KUN [KUN-0647593].

Other material

VIETNAM • 1888; B. Balansa 3981; P [MNHN-P-P00698073].

Description

FRUIT. Elliptical, laterally compressed, red when mature. Epicarp strigose-puberulent with yellow simple hairs with granular ornamentation, reticulate when dry, revealing the underlying reticulum of endocarp ridges. Mesocarp ca 200 µm thick when dry. Length 25–38 mm, width 14–20 mm.

ENDOCARP. Brown, elliptical in lateral view, lenticular in transverse section, length ca 32.7 mm, width ca 15.2 mm. Keel surrounding the endocarp in the plane of symmetry, with the thicker margin containing a vascular bundle embedded within the endocarp wall. Apex greatly asymmetrical; base acute, symmetrical. Outer surface of the endocarp ridged, with two types of ridges; the primary ridges composed of one main median ridge, which reaches the point of the base, and two lateral ridges that run close to the apex. Primary ridges rectangular and thin with a median channel, forming a diffuse pattern with short lateral freely ending ridgelets. Secondary ridges thin and rounded, delimiting a dense reticulum enclosing numerous areoles. Endocarp possessing a symmetrical pair of horn-like protrusions compressed on the keel, positioned eccentrically and subapically on the endocarp faces, each with a central pit. Vasculature of the endocarp resting on the channels of the ridges and free in the mesocarp. Endocarp wall 434–450 µm thick excluding ridges (550–600 µm thick including secondary ridges and 1300 µm thick including primary ridges). Endocarp wall with three cell layers: outermost layer with ca 12 rows of isodiametric to anticlinally oriented cells, followed by a layer with ca 7 rows of periclinally oriented cells, innermost layer periclinally oriented, lining the locule surface with rounded papillae, papillae ca 20 µm in diameter. Locule surface lacunate.

Remarks

The cellular details of the specimen examined were not clearly visible; thus, we were unable to obtain cell size information. The inner endocarp surface was also decayed but we were able to distinguish a few papillae.