Gnetum parvifolium (Warb.) W. C. Cheng

Female material from Hainan has been named as Gnetum formosum Markgraf (which is known with certainty only from Vietnam). However, it does not differ significantly from plants of G. parvifolium occurring elsewhere in China. Vietnamese material of G. formosum, including the type of that name, seems to differ from G. parvifolium in its larger leaves, longer male spikes, and even more slender fruits, ca. 3 × as long as wide.

The fibers from the bark are used in Guangdong to make ropes; the seeds yield edible oil and are eaten fried.

Vines to 12 m, usually thin and weak; bark pale or grayish brown, lenticels usually relatively conspicuous. Petiole 5-8 (-10) mm; leaf blade elliptic to narrowly so, or obovate, 2.5-10(-13) × 1.5-5 cm, leathery, lateral veins 5-8(-11) on each side, base cuneate to subrounded, apex acute or attenuate, sometimes obtuse. Male inflorescences simple or once branched, branches ternate or in 2 pairs; peduncle slender, 0.5-1.5 cm; male spikes 0.8-1.2(-1.5) cm × 2-3 mm, involucral collars 5-10(-12), each collar with 40-70 flowers plus 10-12 sterile female flowers, basal hairs few, brown, short. Female inflorescences usually borne on old branches, once branched, rarely simple, 10-15 cm in fruit, axis 2-3 mm thick; peduncle 1.5-2 cm; female spikes with involucral collars 6-9 mm apart, nodes each with 5-8 female flowers, basal hairs brown, short. Seeds sessile or nearly so, red, elongate ellipsoid or fusiform to narrowly oblong-obovoid, (1.3-)1.6-2.2 cm × (4-)5-8(-10) mm, 2-3.2 × as long as wide, apex usually with a small, pointed head, outer coat thin, longitudinally striate when dried. Pollination Apr-Jul, seed maturity Jul-Nov.

Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi [Laos, Vietnam]

Forests; 100-1000 m.

Gnetum scandens Roxburgh var. parvifolium Warburg, Monsunia 1: 196. 1900; Gnetum indicum (Loureiro) Merrill f. parvifolium (Warburg) Masamune; G. montanum Markgraf f. parvifolium (Warburg) Markgraf.