Lepisanthes membranifolia
Content
Description
Treelet.
Leaves 3-5-jugate, the axial parts rather densely fulvous-hairy;
Inflorescences axillary to pseudoterminal, thyrsoid, sometimes with a few short branches, 1.5-5 cm long, dense, with sessile, c. 7-flowered cymes, densely puberulous;
Flowers white.
Sepals ciliate, inside glabrous, outer ovate, 2.5 by 1.8 mm, inner obovate to suborbicular, up to 3 by 2.5 mm, margin slightly petaloid.
Petals 4, claw 1 mm, blade elliptic-ovate, 2 by 1.5 mm, outside slightly hairy just above the claw, woolly ciliate below insertion of scale, inside glabrous;
Stamens:
Fruits not observed.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: New Guinea present, Vogelkop Peninsula present
Malesia: New Guinea (Vogelkop Peninsula, three collections).
Notes
1. The position of the present species is not clear. Radlkofer originally described it in Erioglossum, but later referred it to Lepisanthes on the strength of anatomical characters. The question will be difficult to answer as long as the fruits are unknown; the obcordate pistil, however, looks more like that of Erioglossum or Aphania than of Lepisanthes s. str.
2. It is possible that the vegetative parts as described are not representative for the mature tree; Kostermans 2893 was collected from an un-branched tree only 2 m high, which does not appear more 'juvenile' than the two collections made by Beccari; they all look like suckers.
2. It is possible that the vegetative parts as described are not representative for the mature tree; Kostermans 2893 was collected from an un-branched tree only 2 m high, which does not appear more 'juvenile' than the two collections made by Beccari; they all look like suckers.