Vasilis Teodoridis:
Rubiaceae | Lasianthus
Lasianthus hirsutus (Roxb.) Merr.; J. Arn. Arbor. 33 (3): 229. 1952.
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Triosteum hirsutum Roxb. Fl. Ind. 2: 180. 1824.
Shrubs 1-2 m tall; usually stiffly spreading rusty-hirsute. Leaves subcoriaceous or coriaceous; oblong or oblanceolate-oblong; 13-20 cm long; 5-6 cm broad; the apex acuminate; the base acute; nerves 7-10 pairs; the nervules subparallel; nerves and nervules elevated beneath; petioles 10-15 mm long; stipules lanceolate; 8-10 mm long. Cymes sessile; covered with many persistent leafy bracts; the outer ones ovate-lanceolate; 2-3 cm long; with distinct nerves; the inner ones linear; much smaller; all hirsute both surfaces. Flowers sessile; calyx obconical; densely long-hirsute; with 5 linear- lanceolate lobes; calyx tube c. 1 mm long; calyx lobes 5; c. 2.5 mm long; long-hirsute; corolla 11-15 mm long; the tube c. 8-12 mm long; glabrous in the lower half; hirsute in the upper half; glabrous inside; the lobes 5; ovate; c. 3 mm long. Fruits ovoid-globose; hirsute to glabrous; crowned by the hirsute calyx lobes; pyrenes 5.
Forests; shaded and wet places; 140-1500 m. Guangxi; Guangdong; Hainan; Taiwan [Ryukyu Is.; Thailand; Vietnam; India; Andaman and Nicobar Is.; Myanmar; Bangladesh; Malaysia; Philippines; Indonesia and Papua New Giunea].
Lasianthus hirsutus is a widely distributed species. It was mistakenly called L. cyanocarpus by most authors. Although Merrill (1952) showed that the correct name of the species is Lasianthus hirsutus; the misapplied name L. cyanocarpus has subsequently been used by many authors. L. cyanocarpus has relatively smaller leaves with cordate and a little oblique bases; usually fewer and relatively small bracts. L. hirsutus differs from it in relatively large leaves with cuneate; little unequal base; relatively long petioles; conspicuous triangular stipules; more numerous bracts; outer ones ovate-oblong; leaf-like; inner ones gradually narrower and smaller; as well as usually long rusty-hirsute hairs on plants.