Alangium velutinum W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes, 2017

de Wilde, W. J. J. O. & Duyfjes, B. E. E., 2017, The species of Alangium section Rhytidandra (Alangiaceae), Blumea 62 (1), pp. 75-83 : 81-82

10. Alangium velutinum W.J.de Wilde & Duyfjes , sp. nov.

Resembling Alangium ferrugineum C.T.White but differing in its velutinous surface of the lamina below, and c. 15 mm long fruit with acute apex (lamina less densely hairy below, fruit c. 35 mm long and longly narrowed towards apex in A. ferrugineum ). ― Type: Grubb & Edwards 79 (holo L L2500083 ; iso CANB n.v.), Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands Province, W of Fatima River, Marafunga Mill, Goroka Sub-Dist. , S6°05' E145°15', 2600 m alt., 30 Nov. 1970, fl., fr .

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ velutinum ’ refers to the velvety surface of the lamina below.

Tree 5‒13 m tall; twigs brown, 2‒4 mm diam, reddish brown or rusty brown-hairy, hairs 0.3‒0.5 mm long. Leaves: petiole 0.6‒1 cm long, hairy; lamina drying reddish brown, glabrescent above, velutinous below all over, hairs c. 0.5 mm long, (obovate-)elliptic, 6‒15 by 2.5‒7 cm, base distinctly or indistinctly asymmetric, cuneate, apex acute-acuminate; veins pinnate, 4 or 5 at each side, tertiary venation reticulate-scalariform. Inflorescences hairy as the twigs, simple, 4‒10-flowered; peduncle 5‒10 mm long, 1‒2 mm diam. Flowers densely hairy; pedicel 2‒5 mm long; corolla in bud (fully mature bud not seen) 9‒10 mm long, c. 1.5 mm diam, base not swollen, apex obtuse; ovary and calyx 3‒4.5 mm long, not ribbed, reddish brown-hairy; limb c. 1 mm long, not spreading, with subacute lobes 0.5‒1 mm long; petals 5, inside glabrous but somewhat hairy at very base, c. 9 mm long, connate at base into a tube c. 3 mm long; stamens 5, filament c. 4 mm long, hairy, anther c. 5 mm long, connective glabrous; style c. 4 mm long, glabrous, stigma lobes 1.5‒2 mm long. Fruit 2‒6 per infructescence, ripening red, glabrescent, ellipsoid, c. 15 mm long, apex acute, not narrowed; calyx remnant narrow, not spreading.

Distribution ― Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands Prov., and Morobe Prov. (doubtful)).

Habitat & Ecology ― Primary montane forest, low forest on creek bank; 1400‒2600 m altitude; flowering in June and November; fruiting in April, September and November.

Field-notes ― Leaves redly tomentose on reverse; flowers cream or white; fruit red; seed dark greyish brown with whitish spots; Womersley & Sleumer NGF 14006: ‘overall in mountain forest’.

Vernacular name ― Monr (Marfunga Mill).

Additional specimens studied. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Eastern Highlands Prov., Goroka Subdistrict, W of Fatima River, Marafunga Mill : Grubb & Edwards 11, S6°05' E145°15', 2600 m alt., 10 Nov. 1970, fl.; Grubb & Edwards 193, S6°05' E145°11', 2600 m alt., 26 Apr. 1971, fr.; Millar NGF 40781, slopes of Kerigomna, S6°05' E145°15', 2450 m alt., 14 Nov. 1968, fl.; Womersley & Sleumer NGF 14006, Marafunga logging area, upper Asaro Valley , S6°05' E145°15', 2450 m alt., Sept. 1961, fl . Morobe Prov.: Hoogland 9183, E slope of Mt Rawlinson, Huon Peninsula , c. 1400 m alt., 16 June 1964 (somewhat doubtful, immature buds only) .

Note ― Alangium velutinum also resembles A. strigosum , the latter differs in the lamina which are green on drying and much less conspicuous soft hairy below.