Pullea glabra var. verticillata
Content
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Papua New Guinea present
Malesia: Papua New Guinea, fairly widespread on the mainland.
Notes
1 The species shows a great deal of variation in shape, size and consistency of its leaves and density of the tomentum, but is essentially constant in its floral morphology. It is closely related to P. stutzeri (F.Muell.) Gibbs from NE Australia which differs mainly in having 6 rather than 4 ovules per cell. The texture and venation of the leaves are often characteristic, being somewhat coriaceous with the venation drying yellow and contrasting with the intervenium, which is often brownish beneath and greenish above. The size of the leaves decreases with altitude and in the most extreme examples the leaves resemble small coins.
2. The occurrence of opposite and verticillate leaves within one genus also occurs rarely in Weinmannia, except for teratological modifications or occasional cultivated individuals. Much of the variation in var. glabra is repeated in var. verticillata, and apart from phyllotaxis, no other differences between these taxa are apparent. It appears likely that it is merely an environmentally induced modification, though var. verticillata tends to occur at the higher altitudes. These two have only been found in close proximity to each other on Mt Dayman, at 2230 m (var. glabra) and 2350 m (var. verticillata).