Hypericum saruwagedicum
Content
Description
Erect, bushy shrub, 0.1-1.2 m, branches strict, creeping and rooting at the base;
branchlets 4-lined when young, soon 2-lined, eventually terete.
Leaves sessile, 2-9 by ½-3 mm, narrowly elliptic or lanceolate-elliptic to linear, apex rounded, base narrowly cuneate, concolorous, incurved and slightly carinate at the base, ± imbricate-ap-pressed;
c. 6 main lateral veins, ± parallel, not visibly branching, uniting near margin and apex, without visible reticulate venation;
laminar glands pale, linear, sometimes interrupted near margin;
intramarginal glands pale only or pale and black.
Inflorescence 1-flowered, with shoots in uppermost axils, branching farther down stem;
pedicels shorter than uppermost leaves, 2-4(-6) mm long in fruit.
Flowers 1-2¾ cm ø, plane or ± concave;
buds narrowly ovoid-cylindric, subacute to rounded.
Sepals 3½-8 by 1-3 mm, free, imbricate or not, ovate or lanceolate to elliptic or narrowly oblong, subacute to rounded, entire;
laminar glands pale, all or mostly linear;
submarginal glands pale only or pale or black.
Petals dark yellow to pale yellow, sometimes red-tinged below, 7-15 by 3-6 mm, oblanceolate, persistent;
apiculus absent or almost so;
laminar glands pale, linear, sometimes interrupted distally;
marginal glands black or absent.
margin entire, or rarely with a few ± prominent marginal glands;
Stamens not obviously in fascicles, 13-26, longest 4-7(-8) mm c. ½-¾ as long as the petals, persistent;
anthers bright yellow, gland amber or black.
Ovary 2-3 mm, ovoid;
styles 3, l½-2½ mm, ½-⅔ as long as the ovary, divergent;
stigmas ± capitate;
placentas 3, parietal, intrusive.
Capsule (5½-)6-9 by 3½-5 mm, ovoid, longitudinally vittate.
Seeds orange-brown, ½-¾ mm, cylindric, carinate, densely linear-foveolate.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present, Central present, E. Highlands present, Lake Habbema present, Madang present, Milne Bay Distr present, Morobe present, Mts Wilhelmina & Carstensz present
Malesia: New Guinea (Mts Wilhelmina & Carstensz, Lake Habbema, E. Highlands, Madang, Morobe, Central&Milne Bay Distr.). .
Notes
H. saruwagedicum is a variable species in which the variation falls into four geographical, more or less morphological intergrading races.
Although it does not appear desirable to name these formally, average members can be recognised by the following characters:
Although it does not appear desirable to name these formally, average members can be recognised by the following characters:
- Variant 1 (Mt Wilhelm): Leaves large. Flowers large. Black glands usually on leaves and sepals, not on petals or anthers. Shoot apex outcurving.
- Variant 2 (Territory of New Guinea except Mt Wilhelm, West Papua): Leaves medium. Flowers medium to large. Black glands on anthers only or absent. Shoot apex erect.
- Variant 3 (West New Guinea): Leaves small. Flowers large. Black glands on leaves, sepals, petals and anthers. Shoot apex sometimes outcurving.
- Variant 4 (Papua, Milne Bay District): Leaves small. Flowers small. Black glands on anthers and (rarely) leaves. Shoot apex erect.