Syzygium montis-venetus Craven, 2021

Craven, L. A., Damas, K. Q. & Cowley, K. J., 2021, Studies in Papuasian Syzygium (Myrtaceae): 2. The furfuraceous species of subg. Syzygium, Blumea 66 (1), pp. 57-81 : 74

27. Syzygium montis-venetus Craven , sp. nov. — Fig. 2 : 1.7; Map 7

From Syzygium furfuraceum Merr. & L.M.Perry it differs in the leaf lamina being larger (20‒22 cm long), and narrowly elliptic to elliptic,with a recurved acumen (8.5‒19.5 cm long,broadly oblong or sometimes obovate,with a flat acumen in S. furfuraceum ), and depressed pyriform fruit (in S. furfuraceum the fruit is depressedly spheroid). — Type: James, Paul & Allison 112 (holo CANB!; iso BISH n.v.), Papua New Guinea, Morobe Province, Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, above Top Camp on ridge trail towards Blue Mountain , Nothofagus -dominant wet moss forest, 1585 m, 14 July 2011 .

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin mons, mountain, and venetus, sea-coloured, blue, in reference to the locality Blue Mountain.

Shrub to 2 m tall. Vegetative branchlet terete proximally and compressed distally, rounded, 3‒4 mm diam; bark dull, striate, moderately glandular-verrucose, persistent. Leaf lamina narrowly elliptic or elliptic, 20‒22 by 7.5‒8 cm, 2.5‒2.9 times as long as wide; base cuneate; apex acuminate; acumen recurved; margin slightly revolute; coriaceous; primary and secondary venation not distinctly different with all or nearly all secondaries joining the intramarginal vein (although secondaries usually more slight); primary veins 30‒40 on each side of the midrib, in median part of lamina at a divergence angle of 70‒80° and 3‒5 mm apart; intramarginal vein present, weakly arched, 1.5‒3 mm from margin; secondary intramarginal vein present but sometimes obscure. Petiole c. 6 mm long. Reproductive seasonal growth unit with a reproductive zone only. Inflorescence leafless, cauline, few-flowered, paniculate, c. 5 by 5 cm, major axis c. 2.5 mm thick at the midpoint, bark furfuraceous. Calyx lobes?5. Staminal disc flat ( Fig. 2 : 1.7). Stamens?70‒80, 4‒8 mm long. Mature fruit pink-red, furfuraceous, wrinkled, depressed pyriform with the apex truncate, 17‒19 by 11‒20 mm excluding the calyx, with the hypanthium rim 8‒9 mm diam; seed very depressed spheroid, 9‒18 mm across, cotyledons collateral. Open flowers not seen.

Distribution — Papua New Guinea.

Habitat & Ecology — Nothofagus -dominant wet moss forest. Altitude 1585 m.

Notes — 1. In the material studied, the calyx in the fruiting stage is much degraded and the number of lobes is uncertain. 2. The species is known from the type collection only.

Figures

Fig. 2 Staminal disc types in Syzygium species. Series 1: Flat; series 2: descending; series 3: ascending; series 4: raised.