Wittsteinia papuana
Content
Description
Branched, very thin and slender, completely gla-brous, epiphytic shrublet, c. 75 cm long.
Leaves scattered and in pseudoverticils, lanceolate-oblong, cuneate at base, acute at apex, margin entire or mostly with 1-2 short gland-tipped teeth;
Flowers solitary, axillary;
Stamens 5, filaments 4 mm, anthers roundish, cordate, 0.75 mm.
Ovary c. 3 mm, 2-celled;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Papua New Guinea present, Telefomin Subdistr present, W. Sepik present
Malesia: Papua New Guinea (W. Sepik, Telefomin Subdistr., 5°S 141 °E). One collection.
Taxonomy
The species is differing from the New Caledonian one(s) by having dentate leaves and an ascending habit producing many roots. These characters are also found in the Australian W. vacciniacea F.v.M. The latter is a ± creeping or ascending, rooting small shrub with larger, more coarsely and more densely dentate leaves, an attenuate leaf base with a hardly developed petiole, and hairy twigs and lower portion of the leaves.