Barringtonia pinnifolia Jebb & Prance, 2011

Jebb, M. & Prance, G. T., 2011, Five new species of Barringtonia (Lecythidaceae) from Papua New Guinea, Blumea 56 (2), pp. 105-112 : 108

3. Barringtonia pinnifolia Jebb & Prance , sp. nov. — Fig. 3

Species B. papuana similis sed foliis minoribus, 19–36 cm longis, 2.5–4.5 cm latis (haud 47–126 × 1.5–8 cm), nervis primariis 16–21 jugis (haud 70–95), sepalis minoribus circulis differt. — Typus: Takeuchi & Ama 16438 (holo L; iso A), Papua New Guinea, Morobe Province, Kamiali Wildlife Management Area, ridgeline leading to Bulili Mountain , 7°19'S, 147°08'E, 300 m, 6 Oct. 2002 (fl) .

Small pachycaul tree 5 –8 m tall; monocaulous or sparsely branched; bark smooth, grey-brown, striate when dry; architecturally conforming to Corner’s Model(?); branch internodes to 10 cm long; ultimate branch tips to 0.8 cm across, ± terete, striate when dry; leaf scars prominent, round-triangular, 0.6 by 0.5 cm, pale grey-brown. Leaves in whorls of 12–18; petiole 2 – 5 cm, inconspicuously winged, ± indistinguishable from leaf blade, the base with a large pulvinus to 1 by 0.6 cm; leaf blades linear-obovate, 19 by 25 to 36 by 4.5 cm, widest at c. 4/5 to 5/6 its length; apex rounded acuminate, acumen to 2 cm long; base tapering evenly to petiole; midrib rounded, prominent below, raised above; primary veins c. 16– 21, arising obliquely from the midrib gently curved, arching and joined near the margin; margin crenulate towards apex, otherwise entire. Cataphylls foliaceous, lanceolate, 3 – 8 by 0.4 –1 cm, acute, widest at 2/3 its length. Inflorescences arising from leaf axil in the terminal whorls, or when fruiting from the axils of fallen leaves; 1–3 within a leaf whorl; raceme 35– 45 by 0.1 cm. Flowers 15–18; 1–3 cm apart, inserted on 1 mm long bosses; pedicel to 5 mm; calyx entire in bud, spherical, to 10 mm diam, circumscissile; glabrous, reddish green; apex minutely apiculate; petals to 15 mm; stamens to 20 mm; style to 20 mm; disc to 5 mm diam; ovary conical, 4 by 4 mm, locules 4, each with 1– 2 ovules. Fruits obovoid, 23 by 15 mm, immature; red.

Distribution & Habitat — Morobe, Northern and Milne Bay Provinces, Hillside rainforests on steep slopes in ultrabasic areas and on rocky slopes. Altitude: 0 – 100 m.

Additional specimens examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Morobe, Helicopter site 2, Lae SD, 7°33'S, 147°20'E, 7 May 1967, Ridsdale NGF 31653 ( LAE) ; Opposite Lasanga Island , 7°25'S, 147°10'E, 10 Nov. 1973, Jacobs 9550 ( BISH, L, LAE) ; Gurako , July 1983,? Heads 333 ( LAE) ; Lasanga Island , 7°25'S, 147°15'E, 2 Nov. 1969, Streimann NGF 44158 ( LAE) ; Northern, Gwaiari village , 15 Aug. 1953, Hoogland 3646 ( LAE) ; Milne Bay, Kaporika village, Mt Dalaia, Alotau , 120 m, 10°15'S, 150°10'E, 21 Nov. 1975, Larivita LAE 67157 ( LAE) .

Note — The long feather-shaped leaves (Lat. Pinna = feather) are a characteristic feature of this species. Like B. papuana the new species has narrowly lanceolate leaves, but the blades are much smaller, with fewer primary veins and widening towards the apex rather than with parallel margins. The flowers are smaller and the calyx is entire rather than strongly divided into lobes. This species is also similar to B. boridiensis R.Knuth , but differs in having chartaceous leaves with fewer primary leaf veins (21– 26 vs 32 –65), shorter pedicels, and shorter styles.