Hablitzia tamnoides

Sarpancar

Climbing perennials with subterranean fleshy stem and root. Shoots up to 2 m, sulcate, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Leaves alternate, long-petiolate, blade up to 10 x 7 cm, broadly ovate, entire. cordate at base, acuminate, thin, glabrous or with short fugacious hairs on veins. Inflorescences axillary, up to 20 cm long, 3 em wide, very delicate, ebracteate, paniculate . Flowers numerous; almost sessile, outer pseudo-petiolate, bisexual, often some pistillate by abortion. Perianth 3-5 mm, greenish; tepa is oblong, obtuse, 3-nerved, persistent, in fruiting stage enlarged, stellate, 5-8 mm diam. Stamens 5. Ovary horizontally flattened, with 2-3 short stigmas on a short style. Fruit a flattened capsule, somewhat beaked at top, circumscissile. Seeds horizontal, lenticular, 1.2-1.5 mm diam.; testa black, shiny, smooth; embryo annular; perisperm present. 2n=20. Fl. 5-7. Forests, gorges, caves and other shady places in humid environments, up to c. 2000 m.

Caucasia and Transcaucasia, Georgia. Euro-Sib, element.