An Obscure New Species of Elaeocarpus from Central New Guinea

Abstract

Summary. Elaeocarpus bilongvinas is described and its relationships discussed; comparisons are made with known species and the difficulty in placing the new species in existing infrageneric groupings demonstrated. Amongst recent collections distributed by LAE is one made by N. A. Vinas et al. from the Star mountains of central New Guinea. New taxa may be expected from this relatively under-explored area; this one represents an Elaeocarpus with curiously long slender twigs bearing small papery leaves only near the tips, scattered short very slender racemes and minute flowers with 4-5 stamens, glabrous petals and a 3-locular ovary, each loculus 2-ovulate. Elaeocarpus bilongvinas Coode sp. nov. ab E. bilobato petalis glabris 5-7-laciniatis, ovario sparse piloso, pedicello usque 8 mm longo gracillimo differt; ab E. sericoloide loculis 2-ovulatis, antheris obtusis, foliis minoribus numquam oppositis recedit; a speciebus sectionis Dactylosphaerae laciniis petalorum nec incrassatis nec inflexis, sepalis in fructu non persistentibus, inflorescentia pedicellisque multo gracilioribus, floribus paucioribus saepe 4-meris distinguitur. Species staminibus tantum 5 (ut videtur) in genere egregia. Typus: New Guinea, N. A. Vinas et al. LAE 59347 (holotypus K; isotypi n.v.). Tree, 8 m tall, dbh 10 cm. Twigs long and slender to very slender, with dark purplish-brown bark, ? densely hairy at first, the hairs relatively coarse, stout and + adpressed, later glabrous. Stipules subulate, 0-5 mm or less, minutely hairy, or apparently absent. Leaves grouped at twig tips;