Myristica pachycarpidia
Content
Description
Tree c. 25 m.
Leaves thinly chartaceous, elliptic-oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 12-25 by 4.5-10 cm, base rounded, apex ± blunt or subacute;
Inflorescences (from infructescences): just below the leaves, of the Knema-type:
Male and female flowers not known.
Fruits (somewhat immature) solitary, subglobose, 5(-6) by 4-5 cm, strongly wrinkled, apex ± acute, hairs ± sparse, dull brown, less than 0.1 mm, with a tendency to become glabrous;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Milne Bay Prov., Mt Dayman present, Papua New Guinea present
Malesia: Papua New Guinea (Milne Bay Prov., Mt Dayman); known only from the type.
Taxonomy
Ignoring its provenance from 1550 m altitude, M. pachycarpidia may key out beside M. sulcata, a lowland species with smaller fruits. Similar also is M. bialata from lowland areas in the Bismarck Archipelago but that species has twigs with ant-swellings.
The (immature) fruits of M. pachycarpidia may resemble those of M. sphaerosperma, also a montane species, with terete twigs and a much more conspicuous indumentum on the lower leaf surface.
The (immature) fruits of M. pachycarpidia may resemble those of M. sphaerosperma, also a montane species, with terete twigs and a much more conspicuous indumentum on the lower leaf surface.