Polyosma flenleyi Schulze-Menz ex B.J.Conn & O.K.Paul, 2024

Paul, O. K., Conn, B. J. & Henwood, M. J., 2024, Taxonomic review of Polyosma (Escalloniaceae) in Papuasia, Blumea 69, pp. 54-88 : 69-70

9. Polyosma flenleyi Schulze-Menz ex B.J.Conn & O.K.Paul , sp. nov. — Fig. 7

Etymology. The specific epithet of this new species commemorates the collector of the type material, palaeo-ecologist Dr John Roger Flenley (15 July 1936 – 22 June 2018),who collected extensively throughout the Western Highlands district of Papua New Guinea, particularly in the Wabag area, during 1964–1965 ( Van Steenis-Krusemann 1977).

Polyosma flenleyi is morphologically like P. torricellensis (not included in our morphometric analyses), but it differs by it being a smaller subcanopy tree (c. 5 m tall), with similar shaped leaves that are smaller (3–6 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide), whereas P. torricellensis is a canopy tree (10–20 m tall), with leaf lamina (9–15 cm long, 1.5–3.5 cm wide). — Type: J.R. Flenley ANU 2584 (holo CANB [CANB157388.1]; iso K, L [L1868132], LAE [ LAE 77341]), Papua New Guinea, Western Highlands, Wabag, 5 Mar. 1965.

Tree, c. 5 m tall, c. 4 cm diam. Branchlets sparsely hairy, brownish on young, glabrous when mature, lenticels scattered, brown. Leaves glabrous; petiole 0.5–1.5 cm long, brown; lamina narrowly elliptic-ovate, 3–6 by 1.5–3 cm, coriaceous, drying brown on both surfaces; base acute, margin shortly dentate, sometimes appearing entire (in error), apex acuminate; secondary veins 14–20, on each side and at an angle greater than 45° from midrib, regularly looping near margin onto the next secondary vein; tertiary vein weakly percurrent, glabrous, not prominent on abaxial surface. Inflorescence racemose, terminal, <20-flowered; rachis 5–6 cm long, sparsely hairy; flowers loosely and evenly arranged; pedicels 2–3 mm long, narrow; bracteoles 1–2 mm long, sparsely hairy. Calyx lobes 1–3 mm long. Corolla buds tubular, (5–) 8–10 mm long, green, often with yellowish tinge; corolla moderately hairy, remaining tubular at anthesis, except opening with 4 small lobes distally. Fruits ovoid, 3–4 by 2–3 mm, sparsely hairy, purple.

Distribution — Papua New Guinea (Western Highlands), only known from the type collection.

Habitat & Ecology — Recorded as occurring in mid montane forest at an elevation of 2 670 m.

Conservation status — Not known.

Notes — 1. Although the leaves of P. flenleyi and P. torricellensis sometimes appear entire, the leaf margin of both is shortly dentate.The leaves of P. flenleyi have 14–20 secondary veins on each side of the midrib ( P. torricellensis has c. 8). In the analysis presented in this paper, P. flenleyi is morphologically similar to P. gigantea , albeit somewhat distant. Polyosma flenleyi has leaves with lamina narrowly elliptic-ovate and are mostly shorter (3–6 cm long), with longer corollas (5–10 mm long), compared to P. gigantea that has elliptic leaves (5.5– 11 cm long) and short corollas (3–5 mm long).

2. The juvenile leaves of P. flenleyi are purplish green.

Figures

Fig. 7 Holotype collection of Polyosma flenleyi Schulze-Menz ex B.J.Conn & O.K.Paul, sp. nov., showing leaves, flowers, and fruits (J.R. Flenleyi ANU 2584 [CANB157388.1]).