Austrobuxus dentatus

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Austrobuxus dentatus

Description

Shrubs to trees, up to 12 m high, dbh up to 15 cm; Leaves: Fruits subglobose, 14-15 by 13-14 mm, yellow to (orange-)red to brownish red, glossy, wall generally thin, up to 1 mm thick; Seeds obovoid, c. 7 by 4.8 by 3 mm, red, shiny light brown when dry;

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: New Guinea endemic, Indonesian Papua endemic
Malesia: Endemic in New Guinea (Indonesian Papua).

Morphology

This species is only found at higher altitudes, the most western specimen was collected at the lowest altitude, all others are above 1700 m. Typical are the black drying, glandular teeth along the leaf blade margins, which are caducous and leave as scar a black dot similar to the glandular dots found in all other species and perhaps with still a glandular function. There is some variability. The two most eastern localities tend to have larger leaves and caruncle papillae that are up to 5 mm long and which dry yellowish; while the two central specimens have very small leaves, and much shorter papillae (2 mm) that dry black. The most western specimen is in between in leaf size, has > 2 mm long papillae, which dry brownish.