Helixanthera setigera
Content
Description
Glabrous except for the inflorescence and flowers sparsely tomentose when young and soon glabrescent.
Leaves opposite, usually displaced and often sub verticillate; lamina lanceolate to ovate, (7-)10-25(-30) by (2.5-)4-9(-l 1) cm, cuneate to truncate at the base to a distinct petiole (8-) 12-35 mm long, usually attenuate or shortly acuminate and acute at the apex, slightly lustrous olive green above, dull light brown below; venation pinnate with the midrib and the main laterals faintly to clearly visible on both sides.
Inflorescences at the nodes, a many-flowered raceme or spike subtended by an involucre of numerous linear bracts up to 15 mm long; axis (150-)200-500(-850) mm long, 3-5 mm thick in the lower part and attenuate towards the tip; pedicels 0.25-2(-4) mm long, often verticillately clustered; bracts deltoid, very concave, often with a sac-like dorsal protuberance, finely acute, 1.5-3 mm long.
Ovary cylindric, 3-5 mm long; calyx limb erect, entire, 1-1.5 mm long.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo present; Jawa (Jawa present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Sumatera (Sumatera present); Thailand (Thailand present)
Thailand; Malesia: Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, and Java, doubtfully recorded from Bali.
Notes
Of the two syntypes of the name Phoenicanthemum longissimum, Teijsmann 1079 (U, sh. 38933) is the most complete specimen, and is accordingly selected as lectotype.
For comparison with Helixanthera pulchra, see there. The species is moderately polymorphic with respect to pedicel and corolla length and the form of the bract. The variation lacks a strong geographic pattern, and subsumes the segregate species recognized by Danser (H. carinata, H. longissima, H. valida).
For comparison with Helixanthera pulchra, see there. The species is moderately polymorphic with respect to pedicel and corolla length and the form of the bract. The variation lacks a strong geographic pattern, and subsumes the segregate species recognized by Danser (H. carinata, H. longissima, H. valida).