Polyosma macrobotrys Mattf.

Paul, O. K., Conn, B. J. & Henwood, M. J., 2024, Taxonomic review of Polyosma (Escalloniaceae) in Papuasia, Blumea 69, pp. 54-88 : 79-80

21. Polyosma macrobotrys Mattf.

Polyosma macrobotrys Mattf. (1938) 273. — Lectotype (designated here): J. Clemens & M.S. Clemens 1414 [a] (lecto B [B_10.0296075]; isolecto L [L 0035103], NSW), Papua New Guinea, Morobe, Wareo, Cart Road, ‘margin jungle’ [‘an einem Fahrweg im Walde’ ( Mattfeld 1938: 274)], 25 Dec. 1935 (see Typification below).

Typification — The type of P. macrobotrys (J. Clemens & M.S. Clemens 1414) as held at B, consists of several samples. However, the collecting number of this collection does not have the suffix ‘a’. The upper left specimen is a flowering specimen that matches the detailed description of the inflorescence and flowers provided by Mattfeld (1938) in the protologue.

Tree, c. 9 m tall, c. 10 cm diam. Branchlets initially sparsely hairy, soon glabrous, pustules grey-brown. Leaves: petiole 1–3.5 cm long, sparsely hairy, soon becoming glabrous; lamina elliptic, (4–)12–22 by (2–) 4–7.5 cm, coriaceous to papery (when dry), glabrous, drying brown to pale brown on both surfaces; base acute, margin entire, apex acuminate; secondary veins 13–23 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, glabrous, not prominent on abaxial surface. Inflorescence racemose, usually terminal, or axillary,> 30-flowered; rachis (3–) 9–21 cm long, hairy, soon becoming glabrous; pedicels c. 2 mm long; bracteoles 1–2 mm long, hairy. Calyx lobes 1–3 mm long. Corolla buds tubular, (5–) 9–10 mm long, white; corolla moderately hairy, remaining tubular at anthesis, except opening with 4 small lobes distally. Fruits ovoid, 7–10 by 6–8 mm, glabrous, green to dark blue, drying black.

Distribution — Indonesia (Papua Barat), Papua New Guinea (Western, Morobe, New Britain, Bougainville), and Solomon Islands.

Habitat & Ecology — Occurring in lowland rainforests on slopes between elevations of 60–900 m.

Conservation status — Not known.

Additional specimens examined. INDONESIA, Papua Barat, Geelvink Bay, Wondiwoi,Wandammen Peninsula, C. Koster BW 13654 (L); Mimika,Baliem Valley, A.J.G.H. Kostermans 700 & Soegeng (L). – PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Morobe, Oomsis Creek, T.G. Hartley 10483 ( LAE ); Sattleberg, M.S. Clemens 966 (L); Quembung Mission, M.S. Clemens 2138 ( Conn 1990) (BRI); Western, Oriomo River, G. McVeagh NGF 8279 (L, LAE ); New Britain, Kirigo, Maisua, J.H.L. Waterhouse 736­B (L); Bougainville, Paguna Ridge, G. Argent NGF 1225 ( LAE ). – Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, Vulolo,Tutuve, S.F. Kajewski 2556 (BISH, BRI, LAE ); Santa Isabel, Tiratona, L.J. Brass 3211 (BISH, BRI, L, LAE ).

Notes — 1. Polyosma macrobotrys is a species with either terminal (usually), or axillary inflorescences.

2. Although unpublished, Schulze-Menz regarded ‘ P. mutabilis Blume’, based on the herbarium collection Clemens 1414a (the type of P. macrobotrys ) as a variant of P. integrifolia . However, the varietal concept applied by Schulze-Menz included plants with ovoid fruits, not distinctly sulcate or truncate at base, and so does not refer to the re-circumscription of P. mutabilis as lectotypified by Esser & Saw (2015), and later reduced to the synonymy P. fragrans (Wall.) Benn. ( Saw 2020a) . Irrespective of Schulze-Menz’ opinion, Clemens 1414a is the type of P. macrobotrys and is morphologically distinct from P. integrifolia .