Polyosma amygdaloides Reeder, 1918

Paul, O. K., Conn, B. J. & Henwood, M. J., 2024, Taxonomic review of Polyosma (Escalloniaceae) in Papuasia, Blumea 69, pp. 54-88 : 65-66

3. Polyosma amygdaloides Reeder

Polyosma amygdaloides Reeder (1946) 283. — Type: L.J. Brass 13335 (holo A [ A42992 ] (see Typification below); iso BM [ BM624948 ], BO, BRI [ BRI-AQ0342397 ], L [ L 0035069 ], LAE ), Indonesia Papua, Snow Mountains, Bernhard Camp , 4 km SW of Idenburg River, Mar. 1939.

Typification. Reeder (1946:275) states that “In the absence of parentheti- cal letters indicating the place of deposit [of specimens], cited specimens are to be found only at the Arnold Arboretum [ A].” Since Reeder cited the type of P. amygdaloides as “ Brass 13335 ( TYPE)” (protologue, p. 283), by inference, held at A, we accept that this specimen is the intended holotype of this species. Based on this assumption, lectotypification is here regarded as unnecessary .

Tree, 10–15 m tall, or shrub up to 5 m tall. Branchlets glabrous, brown, pustules scattered. Leaves glabrous; petiole 0.5–2 cm long; lamina narrowly ovate, (7–)10–16 by 2–4.5 cm, slightly coriaceous, drying brown on both surfaces; base acute, margin entire, apex attenuate; secondary veins 13–27 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, not prominent but visible on abaxial surface. Inflorescence racemose, axillary,> 30-flowered; rachis (3–) 5–10 cm long, glabrous; flowers clustered tightly together; pedicel 2–3 mm long; bracteoles 1–2 mm long, sparsely hairy. Calyx glabrous; calyx lobes 1–3 mm long. Corolla buds tubular, (7–) 10–15 mm long, yellowish white; corolla moderately hairy, remaining tubular at anthesis, except opening with 4 small lobes distally. Fruits ovoid, 7–10 by 4–6 mm, glabrous, green to drying blackish brown.

Distribution — Indonesia (Papua, Papua Barat) and Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands).

Habitat & Ecology — Occurring in lower montane forest at elevations from 900 to 1 540 m.

Conservation status — Not known.

Additional specimens examined. INDONESIA, Papua Barat,Fak Fak,Kowap, N from FakFak, W. Vink BW 12204 (L). – PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Sepik, s.loc., C.L. Ledermann 9910 (L); Eastern Highlands, Plot 1200C, Mt Wilhelm, J. Munzinger 6937, J.­F. Molino, K. Molem, J.­C. Pintaud (Binatang-RC, K, LAE, MPU, NSW, P ); Marafunga, H. Streimann NGF 27671 ( LAE, NSW ); Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area, W. Takeuchi 12073 (L, LAE ).

Note — The calyx of this species is glabrous, whereas other species have a sparsely or densely hairy calyx. Polyosma amygdaloides is morphologically most similar to P. gigantea but differs in several features: leaves with lamina narrowly ovate (vs elliptic in P. gigantea ); leaf apex attenuate (vs acuminate); inflorescence axillary (vs terminal); and large corolla (7–) 10–15 mm long (vs 3–5 mm long).