Aglaia lepiorrhachis
Content
Description
Tree 4–7 m tall, c. 8 cm in diam.
Outer bark smooth, pale grey or greyish-brown; inner bark pale yellowish-brown or pale brown.
Leaves imparipinnate, up to 80 cm long, petiole to 16 cm long, petiole, rachis and petiolules densely covered with scales like those on the twigs.
Inflorescence c. 30 cm long and 30 cm wide; peduncle up to 5 cm, peduncle, rachis and branches densely covered with scales like those on the twigs.
Petals 4 or 5(–7).
Staminal tube about 2/3 the length of the petals, cup-shaped or obovoid, the apical margin shallowly lobed and with simple hairs; anthers 4 or 5, about half the length of the tube, inserted 2/3–3/4 up the tube and protruding for half the anther length, with a few simple or stellate hairs.
Fruits solitary, c. 3.5 cm long and 3.5 cm wide; pedicel 0.5 cm, with numerous reddish-brown peltate scales which have a fimbriate margin on the pedi- cel and calyx and few paler scales on the outside of the pericarp.
Taxonomy
Aglaia lepiorrhachis resembles A. lancilimba in that it has large, shiny, brown, peltate scales densely covering the midrib on the lower surface of the leaflets. It differs from the latter species in the paler colour of the scales and in its usually larger leaflers which have more numerous lateral veins. Aglaia lancilimba is not found east of Celebes and A. lepiorrhachis is confined to the island of New Guinea.