|
Malesian Euphorbiaceae Descriptions |
|
Forster, P.I. & P.C. van Welzen. 1999. The Malesian species of Choriceras, Fontainea, and Petalostigma (Euphorbiaceae). Blumea 44: 99–107.
Goto on this page:
Fontainea Heckel, Etude Fontainea pancheri (1870) 9; Pax & K.Hoffm. in Engl., Pflanzenr. IV.147.iii (1911) 30; Airy Shaw, Kew Bull. Add. Ser. 8 (1980) 91; Jessup & Guymer, Austrobaileya 2 (1985) 112; G.L.Webster, Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 81 (1994) 106; P.I. Forst., Austrobaileya 5 (1997) 29; P.I.Forst. & Welzen, Blumea 44 (1999) 102; Radcl.-Sm., Gen. Euphorbiacearum (2001) 301; G.L.Webster in Kubitzki, Fam. Gen. Vasc. Pl. 11 (2014) 172. — Type: Fontainea pancheri (Baill.) Heckel
Shrubs or trees, evergreen, dioecious; stems with conspicuous brown or red latex from unbranched laticifers. Indumentum of simple, golden, sericeous hairs, dense in young shoots; glandular and stinging hairs absent. Stipules absent. Leaves alternate, simple, petiolate, elobate, chartaceous, not decurrent, entire, penninerved, nerves looped and closed near the margin, basilaminar glands often present. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, variously cymose, solitary. Flowers bracteate; calyx lobes basally united, cupuliform, unequal; petals 4–6, imbricate, free, densely velutinous outside and inside; disc annular, extra-staminal. Staminate flowers pedicellate; calyx lobes 3–6; stamens 18–40, filaments connate for part of their length and attached to a slightly raised receptacle; anthers dorsifixed, bilobate, thecae oblong and longitudinally dehiscent; pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers pedicellate; calyx not accrescent, 2–6-lobed; ovary 2–5-locular, one ovule per locule; styles short; stigmas deeply bifid. Fruits drupaceous, tri- to pentalobate; sarcocarp fleshy, surface smooth, pink to orange-red; endocarp woody. Seeds ellipsoid; testa membranous; albumen fleshy; caruncle absent; cotyledons broad, flat.
Distribution — Nine species from Australia (6 spp.), New Caledonia and Vanuatu (1 sp.), and Malesia (Papua New Guinea, 2 spp.).
Habitat & Ecology — Rain forest. Alt.: 400–2000 m. Flowering and fruiting sporadic after seasonal rain.
|
1a. |
Leaf lamina without glands; petioles somewhat swollen at base and apex (difficult to distinguish). |
|
|
1b. |
Leaf lamina with gland, ± marginal near the base; petioles somewhat swollen at the apex only (difficult to distinguish). |
Fontainea borealis P.I.Forst., Austrobaileya 5 (1997) 29; P.I.Forst. & Welzen, Blumea 44 (1999) 103, Fig. 1. — Type: NGF (L.S. Smith) 1030 (K, holo; iso in BRI, L), Papua New Guinea, Eastern Highlands, Aiyura.
Shrub or small tree to 12 m high; colour of stem exudate unknown. Bark dark grey, smooth. Leaves: petioles 10–26 by 1–1.4 mm diam., somewhat swollen at base and apex, narrowly channelled above, glabrous; lamina elliptic to oblanceolate, 56–240 by 22–70 mm, index 2.5–3.4; base cuneate, without glands; apex acute to acuminate; upper surface dark green, lower surface pale green; venation with 8–14 nerves per side, veins and veinlets reticulate. Staminate inflorescences axillary or terminal, sparsely hairy. Staminate flowers 5–7 by 7–8 mm diam.; pedicels 2.5–5 by c. 1 mm, with scattered hairs; calyx 4-lobed, 2.8–3.5 mm long, lobes ovate, red; petals 5, lanceolate-ovate to obovate, 5–6 by 2–3.5 mm, cream, weakly recurved; disk undulate with grooves, c. 0.6 by 2.5 mm diam., glabrous, yellow; stamens 24–28, creme, filaments connate for the basal 1–1.5 mm, free for 2–2.5 mm, densely hairy at base only, anthers c. 0.8 by 0.5 mm. Pistillate flowers and fruits not seen (pistillate disc reported to be orange on one label, but no preserved specimens present).
Distribution — Malesia: Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands Prov.).
Habitat & Ecology — Rain forest. Alt.: 1800–200 m. Phenology poorly known.
Fontainea subpapuana P.I.Forst., Austrobaileya 5 (1997) 32; P.I.Forst. & Welzen, Blumea 44 (1999) 104. — Type: LAE (Streimann & Kairo) 51548 (K, holo; iso in BRI, K, L), Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Kuriva Forestry area, near Weimauri River.
Tree to 7 m high; stems with red exudate. Leaves: petioles 12–20 by 1–1.4 mm diam., somewhat swollen at the apex only, narrowly channelled above, with scattered hairs; lamina elliptic to oblanceolate, 60–170 by 30–60 mm, index 2–2.8; base cuneate to weakly attenuate with elliptic, sessile glands, 1–2 mm long, ± marginal, 0.5–1 mm from the base; apex acuminate; upper surface dark green, lower surface pale green; venation with 13–15 nerves per side, veins and veinlets reticulate. Staminate inflorescences and flowers not seen. Pistillate inflorescences terminal, comprising 1–3 flowers. Pistillate flowers 5–8 by 10–13 mm diam.; pedicels 7–15 by 1–1.2 mm diam., sparsely hairy; calyx 4- or 5-lobed, 2–2.5 mm long, lobes rounded-ovate, with sparse hairs; petals 5, lanceolate-ovate, 6–8 by 2.5–3 mm, ± recurved; disk not dissected; ovary 3- or 4-locular, ovoid, densely hairy; styles 3–3.5 mm long. Intact fruit not seen; sarcocarp red; endocarp very shortly beaked, 3-ridged at sutures; intersutural faces smooth, convex, 25–26 by 12–13 mm.
Distribution — Malesia: Papua New Guinea (Central Prov.).
Habitat & Ecology — Lowland rain forest on river flats. Phenology poorly known.
