Palmeria arfakiana
Content
Description
Woody liana, young branches hirsute or puberulous.
Leaves usually oblong-elliptic or obovate, sometimes narrower or subrotund, (2.5-)12-20 by 1-9.5 cm, chartaceous to coriaceous, apex attenuat-ed to a short or long apiculum, base rounded, trun-cate, or cuneate, upper surface of mature leaves with remnants of minute stellate hairs, especially at the base of the midrib, or glabrous, undersurface with minute stellate hairs forming a dense or open indu-mentum or virtually absent from the mature blade, persisting, if at all, on the midrib or near the base of the leaf, longer simple hairs may be present along the midrib;
Inflorescence axillary and terminal, paniculate, 7-20 cm long (rarely shorter), lower branches 1.5—3(—5) cm with few flowers or with tertiary branches, the rachis and branches usually with a greyish or cream tomentum or with sparse stellate hairs, rarely more or less gla-brous at anthesis.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present, Central Celebes present, E. Peninsula present, Manus I present, New Britain present, in uplands throughout the island from Vogelkop Peninsula to Milne Bay present
Malesia: Central Celebes (E. Peninsula) and New Guinea: in uplands throughout the island from Vogelkop Peninsula to Milne Bay; also on Manus I. and New Britain.
Notes
The most frequent and widespread spe-cies of the genus. It is the only species known to occur on islands to the north of the New Guinea mainland and in Sulawesi.
The variety of forms included within the limits of this species as treated here is greater than is generally acceptable in one species. It is possible that future studies will recognize entities within this complex, and perhaps reinstate species here regarded as con-specific. However, it has proved impossible to subdi-vide on the basis of indumentum and leaf-size. Broadly speaking four groups may be recognized, though frequent intermediates link all of these: (i) a large-leaved form with adult leaves more or less gla-brous except for small stellate hairs on the petiole and base of the leaf (P. arfakiana sensu stricto), (ii) a large-leaved form with the lower surface more or less densely and evenly covered with small stellate hairs, (iii) a smaller-leaved form (often with nar-rower more oblong blades) usually with the indumentum persisting only near the leaf base (P. pul-chra), (iv) a small-leaved form with few stellate hairs (P. acuminata, P. parvifolia). The first three forms are all frequent and widespread. The fourth appears to be confined to mountains to the west of the island (e.g. Arfak Mts, Wissel Lakes). The species de-scribed by KANEHIRA & HATUSIMA are here regarded as reduced subalpine states and reduced to synon-ymy; they may prove to be distinctive enough for spe-cific status when better material becomes available, but the evidence available is that they are the end of a reduction series. The type of P. myriantha PERKINS represents the most glabrous state, with even the branches of the inflorescence more or less glabrous and the receptacles bearing a rather sparse coating of stellate hairs. However, similar collections occur throughout the range and must be regarded as one extreme of a continuous range of variation. I have not seen type material of P. warburgii PERKINS from Celebes (the only occurrence of the genus west of New Guinea), but plants collected in Celebes by EYMA fit the original description. The younger leaves are rather heavily coated below with small stellate hairs, but older leaves can approach the glabrous condition.
Although undoubtedly a liana, like all other spe-cies of Palmeria, it must vary in habit because a num-ber of collectors describe it as a tree or sprawling shrub. The young foliage is tinged with red. The flowers are cream or yellowish. The black drupes are borne on a red or pink receptacle.
The variety of forms included within the limits of this species as treated here is greater than is generally acceptable in one species. It is possible that future studies will recognize entities within this complex, and perhaps reinstate species here regarded as con-specific. However, it has proved impossible to subdi-vide on the basis of indumentum and leaf-size. Broadly speaking four groups may be recognized, though frequent intermediates link all of these: (i) a large-leaved form with adult leaves more or less gla-brous except for small stellate hairs on the petiole and base of the leaf (P. arfakiana sensu stricto), (ii) a large-leaved form with the lower surface more or less densely and evenly covered with small stellate hairs, (iii) a smaller-leaved form (often with nar-rower more oblong blades) usually with the indumentum persisting only near the leaf base (P. pul-chra), (iv) a small-leaved form with few stellate hairs (P. acuminata, P. parvifolia). The first three forms are all frequent and widespread. The fourth appears to be confined to mountains to the west of the island (e.g. Arfak Mts, Wissel Lakes). The species de-scribed by KANEHIRA & HATUSIMA are here regarded as reduced subalpine states and reduced to synon-ymy; they may prove to be distinctive enough for spe-cific status when better material becomes available, but the evidence available is that they are the end of a reduction series. The type of P. myriantha PERKINS represents the most glabrous state, with even the branches of the inflorescence more or less glabrous and the receptacles bearing a rather sparse coating of stellate hairs. However, similar collections occur throughout the range and must be regarded as one extreme of a continuous range of variation. I have not seen type material of P. warburgii PERKINS from Celebes (the only occurrence of the genus west of New Guinea), but plants collected in Celebes by EYMA fit the original description. The younger leaves are rather heavily coated below with small stellate hairs, but older leaves can approach the glabrous condition.
Although undoubtedly a liana, like all other spe-cies of Palmeria, it must vary in habit because a num-ber of collectors describe it as a tree or sprawling shrub. The young foliage is tinged with red. The flowers are cream or yellowish. The black drupes are borne on a red or pink receptacle.