Neoalsomitra pilosa

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Neoalsomitra pilosa

Description

Herbaceous climber, possibly one or a few metres long, annual?, sparsely soft-woolly grey glandular-hairy; Leaves: Inflorescences glandular hairy, to 10 cm long (including 2-6 cm long peduncle), with few (uni)lateral 10-20-flowered male racemes, and with 1 (or 2 or 3) solitary female flowers (fruit) at the nodes of the lower branch(es), occasionally co-axillary with the panicle an additional male raceme; Fruit 1(-3) per infructescence (in old otherwise male-flowered inflorescence); (2.5-)3-3.5 by 1-1.3 cm, sparsely whitish villous, hairs glandular, 3-4 mm long, base (narrowly) rounded, apex truncate, with 2-3 mm long stylar processes; Seeds 15-20, obovate, narrowed at base, 6-7 by (4-)5 mm including double 6-8-toothed margin (edge), faces ribbed towards margin, nearly smooth in the centre, wing c. 8 by 4 mm.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present, SE Papua New Guinea, in the mountains near Port Moresby present
New Guinea (SE Papua New Guinea, in the mountains near Port Moresby); known from 2 collections: Carr 12477 (male fl., fr.) and Carr 15873 (male fl., immat. fr.).

Taxonomy

This species is close to N. capricornica (Australia), which differs in a green drying colour, leaf shape and more coarsely hairy capsules.