Lasianthus vriesianus Miq.

Zhu, H., Roos, M. C. & Ridsdale, C. E., 2012, A taxonomic revision of the Malesian species of Lasianthus (Rubiaceae), Blumea 57 (1), pp. 1-102 : 93-94

129. Lasianthus vriesianus Miq.

Lasianthus vriesianus Miq.(1869) 249. — Type: De Vriese & Teysmann s.n. (holo L, barcode L0057506 ), Borneo.

Shrubs or treelets?; branchlets subterete, robust, c. 4.5 mm diam, glabrous, dark-brown when dry. Leaves: blades ovate-oblong, 13–19 by 4.5–6 cm, coriaceous, glabrous on both sur- faces, apex acuminate, base broadly cuneate to subrounded; midrib prominent above, strongly prominent and dark-brown in colour beneath, nerves prominent on both surfaces, 6 – 8 pairs, ascending at an angle of 70–80°, curved to the margin, nervules densely anastomosing, prominent and distinct on both surfaces, subparallel; petioles c. 1 cm long, glabrous. Stipules broadly triangular, c. 2 mm long, puberulous. Cymes tuberculate; bracts absent. Flowers shortly pediceled; pedicels 2 – 3 mm long, slender, glabrous; calyx very small, campanulate, c. 1 mm long, glabrous, with 4–5 triangular teeth; corolla not seen. Drupes globose, c. 3 mm diam, glabrous, with 4–5 obtuse ridges; pyrenes 4–5.

Distribution — Endemic to Borneo.

Note — This species is characterized by glabrous and large coriaceous leaves and pediceled flowers. It is closely related to L. brevipedicellatus by similar pediceled flowers and drupes, but differs from the latter by having thickly coriaceous leaves with subrounded base. Lasianthus brevipedicellatus has chartaceous to subcoriaceous leaves with acute base. Only the type specimen of L. vriesianus with few immature drupes is seen. Of L. brevipedicellatus , only the type specimen and a collection from Malaysia, both in fruiting stage, were studied.