Myristica brachypoda
Content
Description
Tree 8-10 m.
Leaves membranous or thinly chartaceous, elliptic-oblong, 10-13 by 3.5-4 cm, base cuneate, apex acute-acuminate;
Fruits solitary, ovoid or slightly ellipsoid-fusiform, 3 by 1.7 cm, base and apex narrowly rounded or ± tapered, indumentum thin, felty, inconspicuous, hairs interwoven, scalelike, 0.1 (-0.2) mm, partly glabrescent;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Gulf Prov present, Kikori subprov present, Papua New Guinea present, Seribi River near Middletown present
Malesia: Papua New Guinea (Kikori subprov., Gulf Prov., Seribi River near Middletown); known only from the type.
Taxonomy
Myristica brachypoda readily keys out beside M. insipida, but is especially distinguishable by the leaves and the subsessile, very short-haired fruits. The seemingly glabrous (glabrescent) fruits are reminiscent of those of M. tubiflora, and the type specimen on which the present species, M. brachypoda, is based was named as such by Sinclair . The leaves of M. brachypoda are very like those of M. pumila, but that species differs in its fruits.