Actephila, Heijkoop & Welzen, 2017

Heijkoop, M. & Welzen, P. C. van, 2017, A revision of the genus Actephila (Phyllanthaceae) in the Malesian region, Blumea 62 (1), pp. 7-25 : 23

Actephila sp. nov.? (BW (Koster) 4344)

Shrub, c. 1.75 m high; flowering branches 3–5 mm diam. Indumentum absent. Stipules triangular or narrowly ovate, c. 4 by 2 mm, glabrous. Leaves petioles 13–23 mm long, pulvinate at base, with corky edges when older; blade slightly obovate, 21–29 by 6.4–7.6 cm, 3.3–3.8 times as long as wide, perga- mentaceous, base attenuate, tapering into petiole, margin flat, apex acute to somewhat acuminate; nerves 15–18 per side, becoming inconspicuous near margin. Flowers on axillary brachyblasts. Staminate flowers (in bud) white with purple tinge; sepals ovate, apex obtuse, margin membranous, glabrous on both sides; petals 5; disc a complete ring, somewhat lobed, surrounding stamens, folded upwards at the edges; stamens with filaments connate at base. Pistillate flowers, fruits and seeds unknown.

Distribution — New Guinea (Indonesian Papua: Sowi-Rendani, near Manokwari).

Habitat & Ecology — Locally rather common in primary forest on clayey soil. Altitude: c. 150 m. Flowering: July.

Note — The specimen strongly resembles A. lindleyi . How- ever, the stipules are larger, the blade is slightly obovate with an elongated attenuate base and a short, acute apex, a shape not observed in A. lindleyi specimens. Moreover, this speci- men has more secondary veins than the A. lindleyi specimens studied. More specimens are needed to certify the status of this specimen as only young staminate flowers were seen.