Dicoelia beccariana Benth.

van Welzen, P. C., 2011, Revision of Dicoelia (Phyllanthaceae; Euphorbiaceae s. l.), Blumea 56 (3), pp. 209-213 : 212

1. Dicoelia beccariana Benth. — Fig. 1; Map 1

Dicoelia beccariana Benth. (1879) 70, t. 1289; Pax (1890) 27; Merr. (1921) 330; Pax & K.Hoffm. (1922) 17, f. 3; (1931) 46; Croizat (1942) 38; Airy Shaw (1972) 3; Whitmore (1973) 86; Airy Shaw (1975) 95. — Beccari PB 1397 (holo K; iso FI?, n.v.), Borneo.

Dicoelia affinis J.J.Sm. (1920) 392, t. 41, 42; Pax & K.Hoffm. (1922) 17. — Lectotype (selected here): Hallier 1255 (holo L; iso K, L, 2 sheets), Indonesia, Borneo, Soengei Smittouw [= Sungai Semitau]; other former syntype: Jaheri s.n. (L, barcode L0146478 ), Indonesia, Borneo , Poeloe Madjang [= Pulau Majang].

(Shrubs to) trees, up to 20 m high, bole up to 15 m high, dbh up to 25 cm, monoecious; flowering branches 3 – 5.5 mm diam, brown. Stipules 4 – 6.3 by 1.2 –1.3 mm, early caducous, only protecting terminal bud. Leaves: petiole 1.7–5 cm long; blade elliptic to obovate, 11.4– 46 by 4.5–14.3 cm, length/width ratio 1.9– 3.7, subcoriaceous, base (somewhat rounded to) cuneate, margin flat to recurved, apex (rounded to) acuminate, upper surface dark green, glabrous except some hairs (to hirsute) on the basal part of the midrib, lower surface lighter green, slightly hairy (to hirsute on venation), venation flat to slightly sunken above, nerves 10–13 per side. Inflorescences up to 43 cm long, green to yellowish or pinkish green, per node groups of staminate flowers (or their buds or scars) and a central, single pistillate flower, sometimes only staminate flowers; bracts 1.5– 2 by c. 0.5 mm. Staminate flowers 3.8 – 5.1 mm diam; pedicel 4.3 – 5 mm long; sepals 1–1.3 by 0.6– 0.7 mm; petals 2 –4 by 1.5 – 2.3 mm, 1–1.4 mm thick; stamens: androphore 1–2 mm high, filaments 0.8 –1 mm long; pistillode consisting of 5 small, hairy globes alternating with ridges extending into 5 stigmas, latter pinkish. Pistillate flowers 5 – 6.3 mm diam; pedicel in fruit 3 – 8.3 mm long; sepals 1.5– 3 by 0.7–1.4 mm; petals 3 –4.2 by 0.7–1.1 mm, apex culculate with extended midrib, caducous, leaving thick, diamond-shaped scars; gynophore c. 1 mm high, ovary 2.5– 3 by 1.7–3 mm, style absent, stigmas 2.7–6.5 mm long, greenish. Fruits 8 –10 by 10–12 mm, not lobed; only sepals persistent, reflexed; columella slightly T-shaped, c. 6 mm long. Seeds 6 –9 by 5.3 –6.4 by 5 –6 mm, hilum elongate to obtriangular.

Distribution — Endemic on Borneo.

Habitat & Ecology — Primary lowland dipterocarp forest, riverine forest, primary kerangas forest, swamp forest seasonally inundated for at least 2– 3 months, secondary forest, logged over forest; soil: Acid kaolin clay (pH 4), yellow sandy clay to leached pale yellow sand. Altitude: 10– 400(–800) m. Flowering: February to November; fruiting: more or less whole year through.

Vernacular names — Indonesian Borneo: Belet, Kemelat.

Figures

Map 1 Distribution of Dicoelia beccariana Benth. ($) and D. suma- trana Welzen (5).