Disporum Salisb., Trans. Hort. Soc. London 1:331 (1812).
Taxon Description
Rootstocks creeping, fleshy, often glabrous, sometimes scabrous. Stems erect, angular, leafy, with sheathing membranous scales below, dichotomously branched above. Leaves alternate, very shortly petiolate, lanceolate, prominently parallel-veined. Inflorescences terminal or pseudolateral, single- or few-flowered; pedicels stout, decurved. Flowers often nodding, sometimes horizontal, tubular-campanulate. Tepals 6, free, caducous, white, greenish, yellow, costate, spurred at base. Stamens 6, inserted at base of tepals, above top of spur; filaments short, usually slightly flat; anthers basifixed, extrose. Ovary 3-loculed; ovules 2–6 per locule; style 1, filiform, divided into 3 stigmatic lobes recurved at apex. Fruit black berry. Seeds globose or ovoid.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 20 species mainly distributed in Asia and N America. Two species in Nepal.
Key to Species
1a Tepals gibbous; spurs 2–3 mm. Berry less than 6 mm in diameter ….…………………………….. 1. D. cantoniense
b Tepals straight or slightly recurved; spurs 4–5 mm. Berry more than 6 mm in diameter….. 2. D. calcaratum
1. Disporum cantoniense (Lour.) Merr., Phillip. J. Sci. 15 (3): 229 (1920).
Fritillaria cantoniense Lour., Fl. Colchinch. 1:206 (1790); Disporum cantoniense f. parviflorum (Wall.) H. Hara.
खिरौला (Khinraulaa), महजरी (Mhajari), सानो कुकुर डाईनो (Sano kukurdaino).
Herbs 50–120 cm. Rootstocks creeping, thick, without stolon. Stem with ascending branches, scale leaves brown, 2.5–6 X 1–2 cm, papery and loosely sheathing. Petioles 1–3 mm. Leaves lanceolate, 4–11 X 1–4 cm, base cuneate, apex finely acuminate, veins prominent below. Inflorescences 3–10-flowered, terminal and pseudolateral, umbellate, fascicles inserted opposite leaves on upper part of stem; peduncles 1–3 cm, ridged, usually minutely papillose on ridges. Pedicels usually distinct, 3–10 mm becoming rigid and deflexed in fruit. Tepals greenish or purplish, oblong to lanceolate, acuminate, 10–16 X 3–5 mm, papillose, bases gibbous-spurred; spurs 2–3 mm. Stamens 8–15 mm; filaments 2–8 mm; anthers 2–4 mm, dorsifixed, extrose. Ovary 4–5 X 3–4 mm; style 8–10 mm, slender, rarely exserted; stigma 3–4mm, 3-lobed. Berry black, globose, 5–6 X 5–6 mm. Seeds subglobose, 3–5 X 3–4 mm.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Tibetan-Plateau, Assam-Burma, E Asia and SE Asia.
Altitudinal Range: 1,100–2,900m.
Ecology: Under semi-shaded mixed broad leaved forest, Oak-Rhododendron forest.
Flowering: May–July. Fruiting: August–October.
2. Disporum calcaratum D.Don, Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. 1: 45 (1839).
Disporum hamiltonianum D. Don, Uvularia calcarata Wall.
महजरी (Mhajari).
Herbs ca. 70 cm. Rootstocks thick and creeping. Stems with ascending branches, scale leaves brown, 1.5–2 X ca. 0.5 cm, papery and loosely sheathing. Petioles 1–2 mm. Leaves lanceolate, 5–10 X 2–3.5 cm, base cuneate, apex slightly acuminate, veins prominent below. Inflorescences 3–4-flowered, terminal and pseudolateral, umbellate, fascicles inserted opposite leaves on upper part of stem; peduncles 1–2 cm, ridged, usually minutely papillose on ridges. Pedicels sometimes distinct, 3–5 mm, becoming rigid and deflexed in fruit. Tepals greenish white or purplish, oblong to lanceolate, 10–15 X 2–3 mm, bases long-spurred, apex acuminate; spurs straight or sometimes slightly recurved, cylindrical, 4–5 mm. Stamens 10–12 mm; filaments 8–9 mm; anthers 2–3 mm, basifixed, extrose. Ovary 2–3 X 1–2 mm; style ca. 5 mm, slender, rarely exserted; stigmas ca. 4 mm, 3-lobed. Berry black, globose, ca. 1.1 cm in diameter. Seeds not seen.
Distribution: Nepal, E Himalaya, Assam-Burma and SE Asia.
Altitudinal Range: 1,100–2,900 m.
Ecology: Damp shady places.
Flowering: June–July. Fruiting: August–November.