Polyosma occulta Reeder

Paul, O. K., Conn, B. J. & Henwood, M. J., 2024, Taxonomic review of Polyosma (Escalloniaceae) in Papuasia, Blumea 69, pp. 54-88 : 80

23. Polyosma occulta Reeder

Polyosma occulta Reeder (1946) 285. — Lectotype (designated here): L.J. Brass 4524 (lecto A; isolecto BRI [ BRI-AQ342405 ], NY) (see Typification below), Papua New Guinea, Central , Wharton Range, Murray Pass, June–Sept. 1933.

Typification — Reeder (1946: 286) cited the type of P. occulta as ‘ Brass 4524 ( A, NY, TYPE)’. Since Reeder did not designate a holotype, the A and NY specimens are here treated as syntypes. Therefore, we designated the lectotype as the Brass 4524 specimen held at A .

Tree, 3–5 m tall, bole c. 2 m high, 7–10 cm diam. Branchlets densely hairy, brown, pustules scattered. Leaves: petiole 1–2 cm long, sparsely hairy; lamina oblong – broadly elliptic, 3–7 by 1.5–4 cm, coriaceous, hairy, drying both surfaces light brown; base obtuse, margin serrate, apex mucronate; secondary veins 9–18 on each side and at an angle greater than 45° from midrib, regularly looping near margin onto the next secondary vein; tertiary veins weakly percurrent, hairy, prominent on abaxial surface. Inflorescence racemose, axillary or subterminal, <20-flowered; rachis 4–10 cm long, hairy; pedicels 2–3 mm long; bracteoles 5–10 mm long, densely hairy. Calyx lobes 1–7 mm long. Corolla buds tubular, (7–) 9–13 mm long, white; corolla moderately hairy, remaining tubular at anthesis, except opening with 4 small lobes distally. Fruits ovoid, 6–10 by 5–6 mm, slightly hairy, purplish black, drying black.

Distribution — Papua New Guinea (Central).

Habitat & Ecology — Occurring in montane forest from elevations of 2 610–2 835 m.

Conservation status — Not known.

Additional specimens examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Central, track from Avios to Samarei, near Woitape, P.van . Royen NGF 20483 (L, LAE );Murray Pass, C.E. Ridsdale NGF 36833 (BRI, L, LAE ).

Note — Polyosma occulta differs from P. cestroides by having leaves with margin serrate. Polyosma occulta is distinctive because the large bracteoles tend to cover the calyx.