Sabia parviflora subsp. philippinensis
Content
Description
Leaves oblong or oblong-ovate to lanceolate, 3-11 by 1-3.5 cm.
Petals elliptic-oblong to sublanceolate, 2-3.5 by 1-1.25 mm.
Fruits not seen.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Philippines (Philippines present), Benguet Prov present, Luzon present
Malesia: Philippines (Luzon: Benguet Prov.), 11 collections.
Notes
subsp. philippinensis can be distinguished rather easily from subsp. parviflora by the absence of a normally developed style. In all the specimens I have seen (except one) the upper parts of the two carpels of each flower are not connate with each other and differentiated into a style as usual, but remain free and carpel-like, although the tip of each carpel is sometimes slightly stigmatic. Moreover, the margins of the upper part of a carpel are not fused, so that the upper half of each carpel remains open. Although this phenomenon is unique within the genus, I have reduced S. philippinensis to a subspecies of S. parviflora because it agrees very well with that species in all other main characters.
Like in all Sabia species the leaves are dark above, paler beneath, but in the present one the contrast is especially conspicuous. In subsp. philippinensis the pale margins and undersides of the leaves provide a useful character to distinguish vegetative specimens from those of S. pauciflora, another Philippine species.
Like in all Sabia species the leaves are dark above, paler beneath, but in the present one the contrast is especially conspicuous. In subsp. philippinensis the pale margins and undersides of the leaves provide a useful character to distinguish vegetative specimens from those of S. pauciflora, another Philippine species.