Polyosma oligantha Reeder

Paul, O. K., Conn, B. J. & Henwood, M. J., 2024, Taxonomic review of Polyosma (Escalloniaceae) in Papuasia, Blumea 69, pp. 54-88 : 80-81

24. Polyosma oligantha Reeder

Polyosma oligantha Reeder (1946) 286. — Type: L.J. Brass 12502 & C. Versteegh (holo A; iso BRI [BRI-AQ342407], L [L 0035109], LAE [ LAE 2827]) (see Typification below), Indonesia, Papua, Snow Mountains, 18 km SW of Bernhard Camp, Idenburg River, alt. 2 000 m, Feb. 1939.

Typification — Reeder (1946: 275) states that “In the absence of paren- thetical letters indicating the place of deposit [of specimens],cited specimens are to be found only at the Arnold Arboretum [A].” Reeder (1946: 287) cited the type of P. mucronata as “ Brass 12502 (TYPE)”. Therefore, we accept that he designated the holotype as the specimen held at A and so,lectotypification is unnecessary.

Subcanopy to sometimes canopy tree, up to 25 m high, c. 71 cm diam; bark black, rough. Branchlets glabrous, dark brown. Leaves with petiole 1–2.3 cm long; lamina elliptic, 6–10 by 3.5–5.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, discolors in dried material to dark brown to black adaxially, very dark brown abaxially; base obtuse or cuneate, margin entire, apex obtuse to rounded, emarginate; secondary veins c. 10 on each side and at an angle greater than 45° from midrib, regularly looping near margin on to the next secondary vein; tertiary vein weakly percurrent, glabrous and very prominent on abaxial surface. Inflorescence racemose, axillary or terminal, up to 7 cm long, sparsely hairy, 5–8-flowered; bracteoles, 2–3 mm long. Calyx lobes c. 2 mm long. Corolla buds tubular, up to 28 mm long, brownish green. Fruits seen young, ovoid, c. 13 by 11 mm, mature fruit not known.

Distribution — Indonesia (Papua; Snow Mountains).

Note — The taxonomic status of this species is inadequately known because it is only known by the type collection. It was not included in our morphometric analyses. Polyosma oligantha shares many morphological similarities with P. cestroides and P. integrifolia . It has a long corolla (up to 28 mm long vs P. cestroides 5 – 25 mm long, P. integrifolia 5–10 mm long), similar large fruits (c. 13 mm long vs P. cestroides 5–13 mm long, P. integrifolia 5–13 mm long), short petiole (1–2.3 cm long, like P. integrifolia 0.5–3 cm long vs P. cestroides 5–25 cm long).