Knema tomentella
Content
Description
Tree 5-15(-30?) m.
Leaves chartaceous, elliptic, subobovate, or (ob)lance-olate, 7-26 by 2-7.5 cm, apex acute(-acuminate), rarely subtruncate, base attenuate to rounded, drying (greenish) brown above, lower surface grey-glaucous, at first with hairs of mixed size, 0.3-0.6 mm long, largely glabrescent, with some indumentum remaining on or near the midrib and nerves, finely papillate, with hair scars;
Inflorescences:
Fruits 1-3 per infructescence, obovoid, pear-shaped, or ellipsoid, apex obtuse or shortly beaked, (1-) 1.5-2.5 by (0.8-) 1-1.8 cm, with harsh rusty hairs 0.5 mm long;
Distribution
Ambon present, Asia-Tropical: Maluku (Maluku present); New Guinea present; Philippines (Philippines present); Sulawesi (Sulawesi present), Bacan present, Bird's Head present, Bum present, Halmahera present, Morotai present, N, SW, & SE Peninsula present, Obi present, Samar present, Seram present
Malesia: Philippines (Samar), Sulawesi (N, SW, & SE Peninsula), Moluccas (Morotai, Halmahera, Bacan, Obi, Bum, Seram, Ambon), New Guinea (Bird's Head, one coll.).
Taxonomy
1 This is the only Knema occurring in New Guinea (and known only from a single collection). Most specimens formerly recorded for the Philippines belong to K. glomerata, a related species differing in the finer reticulation on the upper leaf surface, bracteole median on the pedicel, and a ± convex staminal disc. In the Philippines K. tomentella is known only from Samar.
2 Specimens from Sulawesi may be reminiscent of K. celebica or K. glomerata.