Syzygium hentyi Craven & Damas, 2021

Craven, L. A., Damas, K. Q. & Cowley, K. J., 2021, Studies in Papuasian Syzygium (Myrtaceae): 2. The furfuraceous species of subg. Syzygium, Blumea 66 (1), pp. 57-81 : 70

17. Syzygium hentyi Craven & Damas , sp. nov. — Fig. 2 : 1.6; Map 6

From Syzygium sambogense T.G.Hartley & L.M.Perry it differs in having the primary and secondary venation generally similar with all or nearly all secondaries joining the intramarginal vein (in S. sambogense the primary and secondary venation is distinctly different with the secondaries relatively little developed and not or rarely joining the intramarginal vein); 15‒23 primary veins on each side of the midrib (35‒40 in S. sambogense ); and in lacking a secondary intramarginal vein (present in S. sambogense ). — Type: NGF (Henty) 16942 (holo CANB!; iso LAE !,A, BO, BRI, K, L, NSW,SING, UH, all n.v.), Papua New Guinea, Milne Bay Province, in ridge forest on hills above Kaporika village, alt. c. 122 m, 4 June 1964.

Etymology. The specific epithet honours Edward Ellis (Ted) Henty (1915‒ 2002), a member of the staff of the Lae herbarium for many years, and an expert on the economic plant species of Papua New Guinea with a particular interest in grasses.

Tree to 13 m tall; bark brown. Vegetative branchlet terete, round- ed; bark dull, smooth, not glandular-verrucose, persistent. Leaf lamina elliptic to obovate; base cuneate, 9‒15 by 3.5‒7 cm, 2.2‒2.6 times as long as wide; apex acuminate; acumen flat; coriaceous; primary and secondary venation generally similar with all or nearly all secondaries joining the intramarginal vein; primary veins 15‒23 on each side of the midrib, in median part of lamina at a divergence angle of 70‒80° and 3‒5 mm apart; intramarginal vein present, weakly arched, 1‒3 mm from margin, secondary intramarginal vein absent. Petiole 5‒10 mm long. Reproductive seasonal growth unit with distinct vegetative and reproductive zones or with a reproductive zone only (see note 1). Inflorescence paniculate, up to 6‒21 by 5‒20 cm, major axis 3‒5 mm thick at the midpoint, bark furfuraceous; bracts caducous or some persistent; bracteoles subtending each flower, caducous or rarely some persistent. Flower buds with the apex rounded to obtuse. Flowers white. Hypanthium dull, smooth, not visibly gland-dotted, ribbed or rarely angled laterally (i.e., 2-costate), stipitate; stipitate-cup-shaped, 7‒9 by c. 6 mm, stipe c. 3 mm long. Calyx lobes 4, transversely semi-elliptic, 1.5‒2 mm long. Petals 4, falling at anthesis. Staminal disc flat ( Fig. 2 : 1.6). Stamens 90‒100. Style c. 7 mm long. Placentation axile-median; placenta narrow, oblong. Ovules c. 12 per locule, spreading, arranged irregularly. Flowers (see note 1) and fruit not seen.

Distribution — Papua New Guinea.

Habitat & Ecology — Ridge forest . Altitude 120 m.

Notes — 1. The available material was overly trimmed in the field and the specimens consequently lack structural information. It therefore is unclear as to whether the material represents leafy or leafless reproductive seasonal growth units and no clearly vegetative seasonal growth units are present. Note therefore that the data given on branchlets and leaves in the description may not reflect the actual situation with respect to vegetative growth per se. Flowers have not been seen; only late bud stage material has been studied and, although the petals are discrete in bud it is not known if they cohere and fall as a cap at anthesis. Only a very early stage of fruiting has been seen and the young fruits were all galled. The stipe soon thickens and the young fruit is more or less cylindrical to long cup-shaped.

2. The species is known from the type collection only.

Figures

Fig. 2 Staminal disc types in Syzygium species. Series 1: Flat; series 2: descending; series 3: ascending; series 4: raised.