Genus Bergera J.Koenig ex L.

Mantissa Plantarum Vol. 2: 555, 563 (Linnaeus 1771).

Type species

Bergera koenigii L.

Description

Shrubs or small trees. Unarmed trees; stems and root bark dark-brown. Leaves are odd-pinnate, with alternate leaflets or unifoliolate; leaflet margins entire or crenate. Cymes are axillary or terminal, with many flowers. Flower buds are cylindrical or long-ovoid; flowers small, 4- or 5-merous; calyxes 4- or 5-lobed, and ovate or lanceolate; sepals united at the base or only in the lower third; petals 4 or 5, less than 8 mm long, lanceolate or linear, and imbricate. Stamens are free, 8 or 10, and elongate; filaments dilated, alternately unequal in length; anthers small, broadly elliptic or oval. Disks are short, annular, and cushion-shaped or cylindrical. Ovaries are ovoid, with 2 locules, each with 2 or 1 superimposed or almost collateral ovules; styles rather long and slender, deciduous in fruit or sometimes basal portion persistent; stigmas capitate. Berries are small, ovoid or subglobose, with mucilaginous pulp. Seeds are medium-sized, glabrous with membranous testa; cotyledons with plano-convex oil glands.

The genus Bergera includes all species previously in Murraya sect. Bergera, in addition to one species (syn. Murraya alternans Swingle) in Murraya sect. Murraya (But et al. 1986) .

Key to the species of Bergera

1. Evergreen; leave rachis not winged .................................................................................................. 2

– Deciduous; leave rachis obviously winged ....................... B. alternifolia (Kurz) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

2. Pinnately compound leaves, with at least 3 leaflets .......................................................................... 3

– Unifoliolate leaves ...........................................................................................................................11

3. Leaves with more leaflets, 11–31-foliolate ....................................................................................... 4

– Leaves with less leaflets, 3–11-foliolate ........................................................................................... 6

4. Leaflet blades 5–20 mm wide, apex mucronate to acuminate .......................................................... 5

– Leaflet blades 3–6 mm wide, apex rounded to obtuse ........................................................................ ........................................................................... B. microphylla (Merr. & Chun) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

5. Leaflet blades glabrous adaxially; berries globose, somewhat apiculate ....................... B. koenigii L.

– Leaflet blades curly pubescent adaxially; berries somewhat 4-grooved, apex depressed .................. ............................................................................................ B. siamensis (Craib) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

6. Leaflet blades densely pubescent abaxially ......... B. kwangsiensis (C.C.Huang) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

– Leaflet blades glabrous adaxially and abaxially ............................................................................... 7

7. Leaflets bigger, more than 7 cm long ................................................................................................ 8

– Leaflets smaller, less than 7 cm long ................................................................................................ 9

8. Inflorescences terminal, glabrous ......................... B. macrophylla (C.C.Huang) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

– Inflorescences terminal and axillary, covered with very short hairs ................................................... .......................................................................................... B. glabra (Guillemin) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

9. Leaflet blades lanceolate, 0.8–2.0 cm wide, tertiary veins inconspicuous adaxially .......................... ................................................................................... B. tetramera (C.C.Huang) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

– Leaflet blades ovate to elliptic or rarely lanceolate or obovate, 2–4 cm wide, tertiary veins slightly prominent adaxially ........................................................................................................................ 10

10. Calyx lobes acute pointed, without hair on margin; stigmas obscure ................................................ .................................................................................... B. euchrestifolia (Hayata) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

– Calyx lobes rounded, ciliate on margin; stigmas capitate .................................................................. ........................................................................................... B. crenulata (Turcz.) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

11. Leaflets coriaceous, 4–15 × 3–6 cm; inflorescences terminal ............................................................ ......................................................................................... B. stenocarpa (Drake) F.J.Mou comb. nov.

– Leaflets subcoriaceous, 4.0–12.5 × 3–5 cm; inflorescences terminal and axillary ............................. .......................................................................................................... B. unifolia C.L.Deng & F.J.Mou