Piper lessertianum C.DC.

Gardner, R. O., 2013, Piper (Piperaceae) in New Guinea: the climbing species, Blumea 57 (3), pp. 275-294 : 284-287

11. Piper lessertianum C.DC. — Fig. 3d

Piper lessertianum C.DC. (1866) 164; Quisumb. (1930) 36; Chew (2003) 17; R.O. Gardner (2006) 582. — Type: Cuming 1343 (‘ 1342 ’) (holo BM, image!), Luzon.

Chavica lessertiana Miq. (1843–1844) 270. — Type: Cuming 1343 (holo G n.v.).

Distribution — Philippine Is., Celebes (f. Chew 2003: 19), New Guinea, Solomon Is.

Habitat & Ecology — In forest, perhaps from near sea level to c. 820 m altitude at least.

Notes — Chew (2003: 18) pointed out that the authority for P. lessertianum should be solely that of C. de Candolle, who published the name without referring in any way to Chavica lessertiana Miq.

In my treatment of this species in the Philippines ( Gardner 2006) I neglected to comment on the altitudinal variation there: lower-altitude specimens, and the type collection Cuming 1343 (no altitude stated in its protologue) have relatively large but narrow, deeply cordate-auriculate, shortly petiolate leaves, and the peduncles of their inflorescences (male or female) are much longer than the spikes themselves. Nor did I mention that Quisumbing (1930) placed at least some of the smaller-leaved, higher-altitude plants under other names, e.g., P. delicatum C.DC. and P. halconense C.DC.

Nevertheless, I believe that the uniformity of the fruitlets of all this material (free, sometimes with a short tapering stylar beak, c. 2 × 1.2 –1.8 mm; stigmas 3(–4), together c. 0.5 mm diam) makes it reasonable to suppose that only one taxon is represented. Also, Chew (2003: 19) noted the extreme variability in leaf form, from elongate to broadly cordate, and pointed out that one collection, BW 8871 (West New Guinea) shows such variation ‘on the same plant’.

I have not myself seen any P. lessertianum specimen from New Guinea that closely resembles the Philippines higher-altitude form. With respect to lower-altitude (elongate-leaved) plants, I have seen two such specimens, both cited by Chew (2003): NGF 28829 ( Milne Bay District , nr Mayu I., 350 m) and Pullen 5924 (Northern [Oro] Province, Sibium Range, c. 820 m). I therefore think it reasonable to accept the three other of his citations as belonging to this species: BW 8871, Wissel Lakes; Ijiri & Niimura 674, Mapon District , Wati and NGF 24403, Morobe Province, Asubazo. I also include on my own cognizance the relevant part of the mixed sheet Kloss s.n., K, Mt Carstenz [Jaya], ‘ Camp I 700 feet, Nov.– Dec. 1913 ’.

Chew (2003: 18) also synonymized three New Guinea-typified taxa with P. lessertianum . They are: Biro 32, B, “near Malanaku”, type of P. biroi K.Schum. & Lauterb. ; Roemer 962, L n.v., Mt Hellwig, type of P. lineatipilum C.DC ; Brass 1370, A, BRI n.v., Gulf District, Mowabula, type of P. viridibaccum Trel. I cannot confirm this synonymy, because of the complication outlined below.

Chew (2003) accepted as a species “closely similar” to P. lessertianum a larger-leaved plant, P. pseudamboinense C.DC. In addition to the type, which is from the Ramu River (see Incertae Sedis for locality, etc), he cited two collections, also from lowland forest in Morobe Province: NGF 25678, Buso River and Hartley 10564, Oomsis Creek. I have seen several similar collections from this part of New Guinea ( LAE 70724, Takeuchi 5629, 5669, 14024) and one from c. 100 km away (Platts-Mills 51, Madang Province, Adelbert Range, 650 m). As well as cohering geographically these plants present a uniform appearance in their large (c. 25 by 13 cm), chartaceous, palmate-pinnately nerved leaves. The three collections with mature fruit ( Takeuchi 5629, 5669; Platts-Mills 51) have long-pedunculate female spikes composed of smallish, free, ovoid, shortly beaked fruitlets ( Fig. 8a ). A major point of difference with P. lessertianum is, as Chew (2003) has noted, the fruitlets’ two-lipped stigmas.

However, the differences as outlined above are not applicable to male collections, nor to sterile ones with leaves of intermediate size, e.g., Takeuchi 14455, Bulili Ridge, Morobe Province, 215 m and Takeuchi 14828, Arawiri River, Morobe Province, nr sea level.Also, I have seen one Morobe Province specimen of intermediate leaf size ( Takeuchi 14432, Tabili Creek, 100 m) whose fruitlets have three small oblong stigmas as in P. lessertianum . For the above reasons then P. lessertianum is maintained here to include P. pseudamboinense . However, for the convenience of those who might want to take the matter further, the ‘List of Collections’ indicates which plants fit a rigorous definition of P. pseudamboinense (“leaves greater than c. 20 × 10 cm; stigmas 2-lipped”).

As mentioned above, Chew (2003) synonymized three New Guinea-typified names with P. lessertianum . I do not know whether any of those names might better fit P. pseudamboinense . For example, the protologue for P. viridibaccum ( Trelease 1928) has reference to characteristics of both species: “leaf blades 15–17 cm long … stigmas 2”.

Figures

Fig. 3 Specimens of Piper species. – a. P. caninum Blume. – b. P. decumanum L. – c. P. insectifugum Seem. – d. P. lessertianum C.DC. (a: NGF 26031, A; b: Darbyshire & Hoogland 8124, A; c: Brass 23997, A; d: Cuming 1343, BM).

Fig. 8 Specimens of Piper species. – a. P. pseudamboinense C.DC. – b. P. subcanirameum C.DC. – c. P. versteegii C.DC. (male). – d. P. versteegii C.DC. (female) (a: Takeuchi 5629; b: Clemens 7605; c: Brass 7238; d: Brass 7000, all A).