Steganthera hospitans
Content
Description
Shrub or small tree to 8 m;
Leaves oblong-elliptic, or broadly elliptic to ob-ovate, coriaceous, 20-41 by 7-18 cm;
Inflorescence axillary or above the nodes, arising successively at the same position, becoming cauliflorous, polychasia or paniculate cymes, minutely pubescent, up to 9 cm long, rachis rather stout, often flattened, with small caducous bracts;
Fruit with large succulent receptacle (c. 3-4 cm ø) bearing many drupes on short thick stipes.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present, Solomon Is present
Solomon Is. and Malesia: throughout New Guinea (from Vogelkop to the east).
Notes
The female receptacles are striking, being broadly expanded into button-like disks of a soft butter-yellow colour. The male receptacles are greener and smaller, with a variable extension of the rim: in some species the male receptacles have a broadly expanded rim, but in others the rim may be obsolete, as in the specimens identified as S. insignis by PER-KINS (originally placed by her in Anthobembix hospitans). It is possible that these are hybrids with S. hirsuta. Sterile juvenile plants with lanceolate leaves are frequent, and this type of leaf may be found on the lower parts of more adult shrubs, which have begun to produce flowers. The hollow stems and swollen nodes are inhabited by scale insects (Adeyrodidae) and by many small black ants. The receptacle be-comes succulent and bright orange in fruit, and the ripe drupes are purple-black.