Gunnera macrophylla
Description
Perennial, stoloniferous, pilose herb.
Leaves reniform to cordate, angular, rarely irregularly (2-)3-lobed, acutely irregularly sphacelate-dentate, bullate, venation strongly prominent, reticulate beneath, 2½-70 by 2½-70 cm;
Panicles l(-3) sub-terminal, shortly peduncled or sessile, often hidden under the leaves, in fruit accrescent to 25-60 cm;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present; Philippines (Philippines present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Goodenough I present, Kolombangara present, Luzon present, Mt Kinabalu present, Mt Klabat present, Mt Talawe present, N. Borneo present, NE. Celebes present, Negros present, New Britain present, Sangihe I present, Solomon Is present, W. & Central Java present
Malesia: Sumatra, W. & Central Java, N. Borneo (Mt Kinabalu), Philippines (Luzon, Negros), NE. Celebes (Mt Klabat), Sangihe I., New Guinea (incl. also Goodenough I.&New Britain: Mt Talawe), and Solomon Is. (Kolombangara). .
Morphology
The so-called sphacelate teeth on the leaves and the inflorescence-scales are probably hydathodes.
Numerous semiglobular gland-like outgrowths are found especially on the young leaves, on and near the nerves.
Coalescence of parts of the inflorescence occurs frequently.
Numerous semiglobular gland-like outgrowths are found especially on the young leaves, on and near the nerves.
Coalescence of parts of the inflorescence occurs frequently.
Notes
The small specimen described from Mt Carstensz in New Guinea as G. reniformis RIDL. is presumably an early flowering juvenile individual developed on a stolon; such specimens have also been collected elsewhere in New Guinea.
Sterile specimens have sometimes erroneously been referred to Petasites (Compositae) by resemblance of the leaf (VAN STEENIS, 1948, l.c.).
Sterile specimens have sometimes erroneously been referred to Petasites (Compositae) by resemblance of the leaf (VAN STEENIS, 1948, l.c.).
Citation
DC. 1868 – In: Prod.: 599
ELM. 1933 – In: Leafl. Philip. Bot.: 3143
SCHINDL. 1905: p. 114. – In: Pfl. R.: f. 33
WARB. 1893: 15, 24. – In: Bot. Jahrb.: var. papuana WARB.
BENN. 1828: Pl. Jav. Rar: 70: t. 15
Ridl. 1917 – In: J. Fed. Mal. St. Mus.: 33
DE VOOGD 1933 – In: Trop. Natuur: 226
Koord. 1898: Minah.: 451
WENT 1924 – In: Nova Guinea: 105
Bl. 1856 – In: MUS. Bot. Lugd.-Bat.: 101
BACK. & BAKH.f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 266
C. T. WHITE 1922 – In: Proc. R. Soc. Queensl.: 483
DC. 1868 – In: Prod.: 598
BACK. 1911: Schoolfl. Java: 477
BAKER 1924: J. Bot.: Suppl. 35
Koord. 1923 – In: Fl. Tjibodas: 217
Bl. 1941: p. 172. – In: Trop. Natuur: f. 4
WENT 1924 – In: Nova Guinea: 105
K. SCH. & LAUT. 1901: Fl. Schutzgeb.: 483
Bl. 1856 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 769
Miq. 1851: Pl. Jungh.: 70
STEEN. 1934 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. Btzg: 217
STEEN. 1934 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. Btzg: 217
HEYNE 1927: Nutt. Pl., ed. 3: 1207
JOCHEMS 1926: p. 68. – In: Trop. Natuur: f. 4
Bl. 1948 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. Btzg: 463