Ficus sorongensis C.C.Berg, 2012

Berg, C., 2012, Seven new Malesian species of Ficus (Moraceae), Blumea 57 (2), pp. 147-157 : 147-151

Ficus sorongensis C.C.Berg , sp. nov. — Fig. 2

Ficu arbusculae similis, indumento conspicuo partibus juvenilibus, petioli epidermi persistenti, ficis (sub)sessilibus sine bracteis lateralibus, ostioli bracteis pubescentibus differt. — Typus: Pleyte 517 (holo L), Indonesia, Papua, Sorong, Kadamak , 11 Aug. 1948 .

Shrub or treelet up to 4 m tall, with apparent Terminalia -branching. Leafy twigs 2 – 3 mm thick, whitish subvillous to brownish puberulous to strigillose or to hirtellous, clearly so on nodes, glabrescent, internodes hollow; periderm persistent. Leaves spirally arranged, tufted at shoot apices; lamina coriaceous, oblong to sublanceolate, 3 – 9.5 by 1– 3 cm, symmetrical, apex (sub)acuminate to acute, base rounded to cuneate, margin entire; upper surface sparsely yellowish hirtellous to strigillose to subvillous, mainly on the main veins, glabrescent, lower surface pale brown to yellowish puberulous to strigillose to subvillous, mainly on the main veins, glabrescent, the midrib and lateral veins sometimes with red-brown spots; cystoliths on both sides; lateral veins 6 –10 pairs, the basal pair ± distinct, up to 1/10 –1/6 the length of the lamina, branched, tertiary venation reticulate to subscalariform (with up to 6 rather distinct intercostals); waxy glands present in the axils of the basal lateral veins; petiole 0.5 – 2 cm long, c. 1.5 mm thick, yellowish to whitish puberulous to hirtellous to strigillose to subvillous, glabrescent, the epidermis persistent; stipules 0.7–1.3 cm long, whitish to brownish hirtellous to strigilose to subvillous, mainly on the keel, subpersistent at shoot apices. Figs axillary, solitary, (sub)sessile; basal bracts 3, ± subverticillate, 1.5 – 3 mm long; receptacle subglobose to ellipsoid, c. 0.7 cm diam when dry, non-stipitate, brownish to yellowish puberulous, glabrescent, without lateral bracts, colour at maturity unknown, apex convex; ostiole c. 3.5 mm diam, most of the ostiolar bracts whitish puberulous; internal hairs abundant.

Distribution — Indonesia, Papua, Bird’s Head Peninsula.

Habitat & Ecology — Not clear from label data; probably mostly open places near rivers.

Additional specimen examined. W. Ave 4241 (L), Indonesia, Papua, nr.

Ayawasi, 450 m, 23 Feb. 1996.

Note — The species shows affinities to F. arbuscula Lauterb. & K.Schum. from which it differs, e.g., in the conspicuous indumentum on various parts when young, the persistent epidermis of the petiole, the smaller (sub)sessile figs without lateral bracts and the hairy ostiolar bracts.

Figures

Fig. 2 Ficus sorongensis C.C.Berg. Leafy twigs with figs (Pleyte 517, L).