Abstract
SummarySahulia suboppositifolia (Sapotaceae, Chrysophylloideae) is described and illustrated as a new monotypic genus from New Guinea. The species is so far only known from four collections made in lowland tropical rainforest near Lake Murray in the west and Koitaki east of Port Moresby. As a member of Sapotaceae with white latex, entire leaves, and flowers in fascicles, it is readily distinguished by the combination of opposite leaves, non-areolate venation, and almost 10 mm long green flowers with a bristle-like corolla margin consisting of short, rather thick, and pointing trichomes. We also provide a new generic key to Sapotaceae for New Guinea.
Highlights
Dutch botanists have long been very active in studying the flora of New Guinea, not the least Lam (1932), van Royen (1957), and Herrmann-Erlee & van Royen (1957)
Planchonella is a good natural group while Pouteria is restricted to species occurring in the New World and found in Asia and Oceania only as cultivated or escaped plants (Swenson & Anderberg 2005; Swenson et al 2008, 2013; Faria et al 2017)
Phylogenetics have revealed that species in New Guinea and New Caledonia earlier classified in Pouteria are better placed in Pichonia Pierre, Planchonella, Pleioluma (Baill.) Baehni, Pycnandra Benth., Sersalisia R.Br., and Van-royena Aubrév
Summary
Dutch botanists have long been very active in studying the flora of New Guinea, not the least Lam (1932), van Royen (1957), and Herrmann-Erlee & van Royen (1957). The species was later transferred to Pouteria by Baehni (1942), followed by van Royen (1957) who again placed it in Planchonella, citing only three (or four) available specimens It differs from all other Planchonella in having opposite leaves (not alternate), tertiary veins perpendicular to the midvein (not reticulate or oblique), a sparsely pubescent corolla (not glabrous), and stamens that are inserted near the middle of the corolla tube (not close to the tube orifice). Planchonella suboppositifolia was included in a molecular phylogenetic study of Planchonella using nuclear ribosomal DNA (ETS, ITS), the nuclear gene RPB2, and gap information (Swenson et al in press) This analysis placed P. suboppositifolia as sister to a large clade including Amorphospermum F.Muell., Niemeyera F. Entire, opposite, clustered at branch tips; secondary venation brochidodromous with weak, submarginal
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