Myristica concinna
Content
Description
Tree 3-22 m.
Leaves membranous or thinly coriaceous, elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 5-16 by 1.2-4.2(-4.5) cm, base attenuate, apex acute-acuminate;
Inflorescences between and below the leaves, peduncle absent;
Fruits solitary or 2 or 3 together, ellipsoid, 1.5-2.5 by 1.2-1.5 cm, apex rounded or shortly acute, at base ± contracted into an up to 4 mm long pseudostalk;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Central present, Goodenough I present, Milne Bay present, Morobe present, Northern present, Papua New Guinea present
Malesia: Papua New Guinea (Morobe, Northern, Central, and Milne Bay Provinces, incl. Goodenough I.).
Taxonomy
1 Myristica concinna is recorded by Foreman from the Gulf Province, but I did not see any material from that area.
2 Sinclair, 1. c, considered M. globosa to be the closest relative of M. concinna. However, it is closely related to M. insipida of which it can be regarded as a more delicate edition. The two share short-pedicelled flowers and ellipsoid fruits (which, however, are smaller and with shorter indumentum in M. concinna); special distinguishing features of M. concinna are the slender twigs, small and narrow leaves, small, narrow and short-pedicelled male flowers, and small fruits. The synandrium is made up of only 3 (possibly sometimes 4) anthers, hence with 6(-8) thecae, distinctly spaced before sporulation. The short sterile apex of the synandrium is formed by the sterile apical parts of the anthers, not by the central column as in most species of Myristica. The small, slender flowers are reminiscent of those of M. lepidota; M. concinna may also be confused with M. lancifolia, mainly on account of the small fruits; however, the latter species has male flowers usually with longer pedicels, more anthers in the synandrium, a glabrous androphore, and more closely set lateral nerves, fainter on the lower leaf surface.