(Lardizabalaceae)
Stauntonia aff. leucantha KWJ12218

Description

From an unexpected find on a trek through the Hoàng Liên Son mountains in the north of Vietnam in 2007 with Ben Kettle et al. Our porters had found this bright yellow fruit and devoured the majority of it just leaving the large black glossy seed spat out all over the trail. Here the evergreen climber was scrambling to 6-7m over large shrubs, with 7-leafleted leathery leaves pale below while the plump yellow fruit 15 cm long hung from slender stalks, these had been preceded by 1 cm male and female flowers which may be scented June-October. Requiring a sheltered site out of freezing winds in any type of drained fertile soil.