Syzygium subamplexicaule Merr. & L.M.Perry

Craven, L. A., 2019, Studies in Papuasian Syzygium (Myrtaceae): 1. Subgenus Perikion revised, Blumea 64 (2), pp. 115-122 : 121

9. Syzygium subamplexicaule Merr. & L.M.Perry — Fig. 1 ; Map 4

Syzygium subamplexicaule Merr. & L.M.Perry (1942) 285. — Type: Brass 8218 (holo A n.v.; iso BRI!), Papua New Guinea, Western (Fly River) Province , Lower Fly River, E bank opposite Sturt Island, Oct. 1936.

Treelet to 2.5 m tall. Vegetative branchlet terete, rounded, 2.5 mm diam; bark dull-glossy, smooth, not glandular-verrucose, persistent. Leaf lamina 22–27 by 5–9 cm wide, 3.5 times as long as wide, narrowly ovate to narrowly oblong-ovate; base cordate or truncate; apex acuminate; margin flat; coriaceous (chartaceous fide M&P), primary and secondary venation distinctly different with secondaries relatively little developed and not or rarely joining the intramarginal vein; primary veins 22–25 on each side of the mid-rib, in median part of the lamina at a divergence angle of 70–80°, 8–20 mm apart; intramarginal vein present, weakly arched, 2.5–4 mm from margin, secondary intramarginal vein absent. Petiole 1.5–3 mm long. Reproductive seasonal growth unit with a reproductive zone only. Inflorescence terminal, 2- to few-flowered, paniculate, up to c. 2 cm long, major axis 1 mm thick at the midpoint, bark smooth; bracts deciduous to persistent; bracteoles absent from each flower in the unit. Hypanthium dull, glandular-verrucose, visibly gland-dotted, ribbed; stipitate. Calyx lobes 4, triangular, 0.75–1 mm long. Staminal disc ascending ( Fig. 1 : 3.2). Stamens 4–6 mm long (fide M&P). Mature fruit pink, glandular-verrucose, ribbed, stipitately narrowly ellipsoid, 14–17 by 6–7.5 mm wide (excluding the calyx), the hypanthium rim not appreciably expanding in fruit; seed narrowly ellipsoid-obovoid and deeply impressed at the apex, 3–5 mm across; cotyledons interlocked by an intrusive weakly ramifying tissue, collateral.

Distribution — Papua New Guinea.

Habitat & Ecology — Rainforest. Altitude 10 m.

Note — The BRI sheet of the type collection is the only material seen. Flowers have not been seen and the data presented here includes information in Merrill & Perry’s (1942) description. The species is closely related to S. claviflorum .

Figures

Map 4 Distribution of Syzygium saundersii Craven (●), S. sleumeri Craven (■), S. subamplexicaule Merr. & L.M.Perry (▲) and S. suberosum Craven (♦).

Fig. 1 Diagrams of staminal disc types occurring in Syzygium subg. Perikion species, showing staminal discs that are flat (1.1–1.10), descending (2.5), ascending (3.2) and raised (4.2). Within the flat staminal disc type, structure may differ in the degree of ‘lip’ projection at the inner edge of hypanthium apex (1.4, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.9) and the presence of a grooved petal insertion point (1.10).