Campnosperma montanum
Content
Description
Shrub 2½-4 m high to tree up to 30 m and 60 cm Ø;
Bark grey (to light brown), smooth and pustularly lenticellate but also shallowly fissured and/or somewhat scaly.
Leaves lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate, or obovate-oblong, 4½-23 by 2-9 cm (up to 64 by 14½ cm on vegetative twigs), pubescent on both surfaces at the basal part when young, glabrescent, sometimes almost glabrous;
Flowers light yellow or yellow.
Petals ovate, c. 2 by 1¼ mm.
Stamens c. 1½ mm;
Panicles up to 10 cm long, scantly branched, with rather simple, short branches (up to 3½ cm long) and seemingly racemose;
Ovary subglobose, c. ¾ mm Ø.
Distribution
Ambon present, Asia-Tropical: Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present, Halmaheira present, Morotai present, New Britain present, New Ireland present, Omoi present, Sepik present, Ternate present, West-, Hollandia-, and South Division present, Western and Southern Highlands present
Malesia: Moluccas (Ternate, Halmaheira, Morotai, Ambon) and New Guinea (West: West-, Hollandia-, and South Division; East: Sepik, Western and Southern Highlands), New Britain (Omoi), and New Ireland.
Uses
DORNSTREICH (in sched.) reported that sap from the tree is tapped, used and traded as body and hair oil (see also sub C. coriaceum) while leaves are used to pack sago, meat, or fish for cooking on hot stones in earthen ovens.
Notes
Fruit-like insect galls were observed (BRASS & VERSTEEGH 12541 & BW 6498), which have the floral parts crowned at the top instead of at the base as in a normal fruit.
Young branchlets bear very small leaves and axillary inflorescences resembling much-branched panicles (VAN ROYEN & SLEUMER 5814).
Young branchlets bear very small leaves and axillary inflorescences resembling much-branched panicles (VAN ROYEN & SLEUMER 5814).