Artabotrys hexapetalus

Species: Artabotrys hexapetalus 

English Name: Eagle’s Claw

Chinese Name: 鷹爪花

Family: Annonaceae

Description:

Shrubs to 10 m tall, climbing. Branchlets glabrous or glabrescent. Petiole 4-8 mm; leaf blade oblong to broadly lanceolate, 6-16(-25) × 2.5-6(-8) cm, papery, abaxially glabrous or only midvein puberulent, adaxially glabrous, secondary veins 8-16 on each side of midvein and adaxially prominent, base cuneate to acute, apex acuminate to acute. Inflorescences 1- or 2-flowered. Flowers 2.5-3 cm in diam., fragrant. Sepals green, ovate, 5-8 mm, sparsely puberulent. Petals greenish to yellowish, oblong-lanceolate, 3-4.5 × 0.9-1.6 cm, outside basally densely pubescent, contracted nearly to base but basally expanded. Stamens oblong; connectives apically 3-angular. Carpels oblong, glabrous. Monocarps ovoid, 2.5-4 × ca. 2.5 cm, glabrous, apex conspicuously apiculate. Seeds pale brown, 1.5-2 cm, smooth. Fl. May-Aug, fr. May-Dec. 2n = 16.

A. hexapetalus

Photos used under a Creative Commons license

References:

Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (2011) Flora of China. Vol. 19 (Cucurbitaceae through Valerianaceae, with Annonaceae and Berberidaceae). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis