Gamblea, C. B. Clarke

Shang, C. - B., Lowry Ii, Porter P. & Frodin, David G., 2000, A taxonomic revision and re-definition of the genus Gamblea (Araliaceae), Adansonia (3) 22 (1), pp. 45-55 : 47-48

GAMBLEA C.B. Clarke

In J.D. Hook., Fl. Brit. Ind. 2: 739 (1879); Hutch.,

Gen. Fl. Pl. 2: 78 (1967); J.C. Grierson, Fl. Bhut. 2:

340 (1991). — Type: Gamblea ciliata C.B. Clarke.

Evodiopanax (Harms) Nakai, J. Arnold. Arbor. 5: 7 (1924); Ohwi, Fl. Jap.: 834 (1953); S.Y. Hu, J. Arnold Arbor. 61: 111 (1980); C.-B. Shang & J.-Y. Huang, J. Nanj. Forest. Univ. 17: 32 (1993). — Acanthopanax sect. Evodiopanax Harms, Mitt. Deutsch. Dendr. Ges. 27: 28 (1918); Li, Sargentia 2: 88 (1942); Hoo & Tseng, Fl. Reipub. Popul. Sin. 54: 106 (1978); C.-B. Shang, Fl. Sylv. Sin. 2: 1785 (1985). — Lectotype: Evodipanax innovans (Seib. & Zucc.) Nakai [= Gamblea innovans (Seib. & Zucc.) C.-B. Shang, Lowry & Frodin], designated by Hutchinson, Gen. Fl. Plants 2: 71 (1967).

Unarmed shrubs or trees, with both long and short shoots; cataphylls linear, with evident parallel veins, caducous. Leaves palmately compound, (1-)3-5-foliolate, leaflets sessile or with short petiolules, margins subentire to serrulate, usually with ciliate-hispid teeth, abaxial surface with domatia in the axils of the secondary veins, petiolule slightly expanded and sheathing at the base, without stipules. Inflorescences terminal on short shoots, simple or more often compound umbels or panicles of umbellules, often with 1-2 lateral umbellules borne on the larger of the primary axes; pedicels unarticulated; calyx rim subentire or 4-5-toothed; petals 4 or 5, valvate; stamens 4 or 5, anthers ovoid; disk flat to conical; ovary 2- 4(-5)-carpellate; styles 2-4(-5), free or united for most of their length. Fruit elliptic to globose or slightly obloid, sometimes laterally compressed, pyrenes 2-4(-5), endosperm smooth.

As circumscribed here, Gamblea is a genus of four species, extending from the eastern Himalayas to SE and E Asia, including Japan, and S to the peninsular Malaysia and northern Sumatra.

All four species of Gamblea have domatia in the axils of the secondary veins on the abaxial surface of their leaflets, although these structures are somewhat obscure or occasionally absent in some specimens of G. malayana and G. pseudoevodiaefolia . The domatia vary in size from ca. 0.2 to 3 mm in diameter, depending on the species, but when present they always appear (in dried material) as a small tuft of dense, short trichomes, presumably associated with secretory cells.