Boehmeria virgata var. velutina, 2013

Wilmot-Dear, C. M. & Friis, I., 2013, The Old World species of Boehmeria (Urticaceae, tribus Boehmerieae). A taxonomic revision, Blumea 58 (2), pp. 85-216 : 157

publication ID

https://doi.org/10.3767/000651913X674116

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D987B7-FF8E-5157-FFBA-5F26DD4EFC3C

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Boehmeria virgata var. velutina
status

var. nov.

b. var. velutina Friis & Wilmot-Dear View in CoL , var. nov. — Fig. 22a–e View Fig ; Map 22 View Map 22

A var. virgata indumento densisimo patenti longiore usque 0.5 mm longo (nec in foliis sparso neque saupe adpresso), foliis ad basin subcordatis (nec cuneatis neque rotundatis) et ad marginem dentibus maioribus 1.5–2 mm (nec plerumque 0.5–1 mm) longis ornatis atque axe inflorescentiarum multo ramosa differt. — Type: Streimann & Kairo 30765 (holo K; iso A,BISH, BO, BRI, CANB, E, L, PNH, SING, SYD, US), Papua New Guinea, Central Distr. , Sogeri .

Large shrub or small tree, 1.5–2.5 m tall. Stem with hairs abundant, up to 0.5 mm long, coarse, spreading or only half-adpressed, dark brown. Stipules 8–10 mm long, with hairs dense, adpressed, finer than on stem. Leaves ovate, mostly symmetrical, medium or large with rather variable proportions (9–)15–20 by 3.5–8 cm, length 1.6–3 × width; marginal teeth 30–40 either side, medium-sized, usually acute, not or slightly up-curved, c. 1.5(–2) by 2.5–5 mm; leaf apex attenuate-acuminate, base broadly subcordate or sometimes ± truncate; upper lateral veins on at least one side 1–3, lateral and coarser tertiary venation robust and conspicuous abaxially; thick-textured, leaves often bullate, often drying grey-green, with spreading hairs both sides, abundant, giving a ± velvety appearance; petiole relatively short usually 0.25–0.35 × lamina length. Inflorescence-bearing axes of both sexes much-branched, 7–20 cm long. Male flowers densely hairy. Fruiting perianth broadly ellipsoid to obovoid, 0.8–1.2 by 0.5–0.8 mm, markedly laterally flattened into a broad thin-textured marginal wing around thickened ovoid middle portion comprising 0.3–0.5 × total fruiting perianth size.

Distribution ― Endemic to New Guinea (Indonesian Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea).

Habitat & Ecology ― Lowland rainforest, sandy riverbanks, grassy roadside; 150–580 m altitude.

Notes ― 1. This variety, sympatric with var. virgata in New Guinea, is distinctive in its indumentum and several leaf characters; it grades into var. virgata via a range of intermediate forms, as discussed under the species (Note 4-i) and formal conservation status assessment is therefore not meaningful. Although less than ten collections have been seen clearly referable to this variety, habitats in these areas appear not to be suffering deterioration and we do not consider it currently at risk.

2. Leaf shape, texture and indumentum are rather reminiscent of the allopatric B. multiflora which can be distinguished by inflorescence-bearing axes unbranched and leaves always small often relatively narrower.

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Rosales

Family

Urticaceae

Genus

Boehmeria

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