Palmeria hypargyrea
Content
Description
Woody liana;
Leaves elliptic or narrowly el-liptic, 5-11.5 by 2.5-4.5 cm, thinly coriaceous, base cuneate or rounded, apex shortly acuminate, obtuse or acute, upper surface becoming glabrous or retaining widely spaced remnants of stellate hairs, lower surface evenly covered with a close, fine indumen-tum (which may become thinner on the midrib and principal veins or rarely over the surface of the bla-de);
Inflorescence axillary and terminal, pleiochasial, 4—8(—-13) cm long, lateral branches few-flowered, densely covered in greyish pubescence, except that the peduncle and rachis may become glabrous or bear only sparse mi-nute stellate hairs;
Fruit not seen.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: New Guinea (Irian Jaya present), Hellwig Mts present, Lake Habbe-ma present, Nabire present, Papua New Guinea present, West & East Sepik and Southern Highlands Prov present
Malesia: Irian Jaya (Nabire; Lake Habbe-ma; Hellwig Mts); Papua New Guinea (West & East Sepik and Southern Highlands Prov.).
Notes
Although there is considerable variation in the size of the leaves, correlated with the unusual alti-tudinal range, the shape of the leaves is rather uni-form and the smooth, close, but fine indumentum of the lower leaf surface and of the inflorescence is characteristic. In the original material collected by LEDERMANN the fine felt of stellate hairs has partially or completely disappeared from the lower surface of some leaves, only a few scattered, slightly larger, stel-late hairs remaining. However, the typical covering of hairs has persisted in some areas. The leaves are described as greyish or whitish beneath, though some specimens from higher altitudes appear light fawn, at least when dried. The flowers are cream.