Polyporandra scandens

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Description

Scandent shrub or branched liana, climbing to 35 m, stem up to 8 cm Ø. Branchlets slender, divaricate, pubescent initially; Leaves opposite, ovate to elliptic, apex shortly ± abruptly acuminate to cuspidate, base broadly attenuate to rounded, slightly inequilateral, chartaceous to subcoria-ceous, glabrous above, covered with scattered short appressed hairs all over beneath, 7-15(-17) by 3.5-9 cm, margin slightly revolute, entire, mid-rib a little impressed above, strongly prominent beneath, nerves (4-)6-8 curved-ascendent pairs, prominent beneath only as is the rather dense network of veins; Panicles 1-3 from the same axil, few- to many-flowered, (2-)3-9 cm, ascending or recurved, all over covered with short appressed hairs. Fruit compressed-ovoid-ellipsoid, c. 2 by 1.5 by 1.5 cm, appressed-pubescent;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present, Batjan present, Halmahera present, Solomon Is present

Solomon Is.; in Malesia: New Guinea, Moluccas (Halmahera, Batjan). .

Uses

On Bougainville young leaves are cooked and eaten or added to taros to give these a flavor.

Citation

STEEN. 1965 – In: Nova Guinea, Bot.: 495

BIRNIE 1926 – In: Nova Guinea: 277

DAHL 1952: p. 275. – In: J. Arn. Arb.: f. 70

WHITE 1929 – In: J. Arn. Arb.: 235

SCHELLENB. 1923 – In: Bot. Jahrb.: 176

PULLE 1912 – In: Nova Guinea: 660

SLEUM. 1942: p. 379. – In: E. & P., Nat. Pfl. Fam., ed. 2, 20b: f. 109

Engl. 1895 – In: E. & P., Nat. Pfl. Fam. 3: 253

SLEUM. 1969 – In: Blumea: 248

K. SCH. & LAUT. 1900: Fl. Schutzgeb.: 418