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NEWFLOWERINGPLANTSFROMSOUTHERN NEWIRELAND, PAPUANEWGUINEA W.TAKEUCHI BotanicalResearchInstituteofTexas doPapuaNewGuineaForestResearchInstitute R 0. Box314.Lae.4lhPAPUANEWGUINEA JOHN PIPOLYIII J. BotanicalResearchInstituteofTexas 309PecanStreet FortWorth. TX76102-4060U.S.A. [email protected]:[email protected] ABSTRACT BotanicalexplorationoftheHansMeyerRangeinsouthernNewIrelandrevealedthe existenceoftwopreviouslyunknowntaxainthefamiliesRubiaceaeandCorsiaceae.The novelties,PsychotriaosianaTakeuchi&Pipoly,(Rubiaceae)andCorsiapiirpuratavar.iviakabui Takeuchi&Pipoly(Corsiaceae)aredescribedandillustrated.Taxonomicandecological notesarealsoprovidedforthenewtaxa. ABSTRACT(MELANESIANTOKPISIN) WanpelawokbuslongsaltbilongbotaniibinkamaplongollainmauntenbilongHans Meyer,NiuHandProvince,longyia1994.Dispelawokbusostadiibinkamapimtupela niupelasamting.WanpelaemsotpeladiwaibilongfamiliRubiaisi.Nambatuemwanpela liklikgrasnatingbilongfamiliKorsiasi.Tupelaigatnemolsem:PsychotriaosiananaCorsia piirpuratavar.wiakabui.Dispelastoriitokklianasoimtusampelapiksabilongtupela. INTRODUCTION PapuaNewGuinea(PNG)isoneofonlyfourcountriesonearthprojected asretainingmostofitsoriginalforestcoverbytheendofthiscentury(Suzuki 1993).Unfortunately,itisalsoamongtheleastknownfloristicareaswithin theMalesianregion(Conn 1994;Johns 1995).Intherecentmultiagency ConservationNeedsAssessment(CNA),17localitiesofprimaryconserva- tionsignificancewereidentifiedforPapuasianforestenvironments(Beehler 1993).SouthernNewIrelandwasoneoftheenumeratedsitesconsidered vitaltobiodiversitypreservationandincriticalneedofcurrentinforma- tion.AsadirectconsequenceoftheCNAevaluation,abiologicalassess- mentexpeditionwasorganizedbyConservationInternationalandthePapua NewGuineaDepartmentofEnvironmentandConservation(DEC)inJanuary- February 1994.Amultidisciplinarycompilationofresultsfromthatsur- veyhasbeenpreparedasaRapidAssessmentProtocol(RAP)WorkingPaper SiDA18(1):161-168.1998 162 SiDA18(1) byConservationInternational(Beehler,inpress).Orchidspecimensfromthe HansMeyertripwerepreviouslyreviewedinaseparatespeciaUstaccount (Howcroft 1994).Twonewtaxadiscernedduringgeneralexaminationof theexpedition'sbotanicalgatheringsaredescribedhere. RIJBIACEAE PsychotriaosianaTakeuchiScPipoly,sp.nov.(Fig. 1).Typf;PAPUANEW (iUINHA.NiAVIreland:HansMeyerRange,pondnextto'LakeCamp,'()4°27.205' S, 152"56.489'E,1,175m,29Jan 1994(tl,fr),W.Takei/chi&J. Wiakabu9650 (iiOLOTVPF:LAE;isotyphs:A,BRIT,K,L). QuoadscipLilaelongatacalyptrataque,stipulaablaminisjuveniliLisrumpentes,P.leLiiinides valdeareteaffinis,sedabeainttorescentiistrichotomiisreduciseiue(nonmonoromiLseiongacLsque), floribusverticellatis(nonalternatis)praeditis,lamini.ssecLiscostisiurluraceo-lepidotis(non glabris)deniquepetalisdesuperpapiUosis(nonglabris)statimcognoscitur. Shruborsmalltreeto7mheight,8cmdbh.Stemstraight,isodiametric, basalswellabsent;outerbarkbrown,smooth,slashandsapwoodstramineous topaleyellow.Branchletsterete,2-3mmdiam.,palebrown,slightlycom- pressedatthesummit, laxlypiloseatapicalnodesotherwiseglabrescent. Stipulessheathing,calyptrate,caducous,translucentwhitish-green,glabrous, to5.5 cm longand6mmwide.Leavesopposite,usuallyconferred;blades coriaceous,elliptic, 10-13cmlong,3—4cmwide,apicallyacuminate,ba- sallyattenuate,themarginentire,adaxiallynitidandglabrous,abaxially lightgreenandfurfuraceous-tomentosealongthemidrib,themidribprominulous onborhsides,moreelevatedbeneath;thesecondaryveins 10-13oblique lateralpairs,excurrentlyarcuateandusuallyclosingsubmarginally,thetertiary reticulumlax, irregular,bifaciallyraised;petiolesadaxiallyplane, 10-20 mmlong,glabrous.Inflorescenceasessile,terminal,pinnatepanicle,ruptur- ingthroughrhestipule,trichotomous(withthreeprincipalbranchesatbase), thebrancheswithflowersracemose,theprimaryrachisto2cmlong,greenish, somewhatangulate, laxlypiloseat nodes, internodessubglabrous orpu- berulent;floralbractsinconspicuous,notpersisting;pedicels1—3rnmlong. Flowersopposedorinverricels,5-merous,entirelyglabrous,apparentlyiso- morphic;calyxbroadlycupuliform,.5mmlong, 1—2mmwide,limbden- ticulate;corollatubular, 3 nim longandobtuselycylindricalin bud, the lobeschartaceous,corniculate,elliptictoovate, 1.5 mmlong, 1 mmwide, spreadingorreflexingatanthesis,adaxiallypapillose;stamenserect,epipetalous; mm ftihelaamnetnhtesrs1.b5asifixeldo,nogb,laodnngaotied,to0.r7hemmcorloolnlign,e0s.i2nmusmeswoirdsel,igahptilcyalbleylaonwd, basallyemarginate;ovaryumbonate,channelled,bilocular,thestylebifid, slightlyexserted, thestigmaticlobesspreadingand tuberculate. Drupelet subglobose,5—8mmdiam.,epicarpglabrous;pyrenes2,notdorsallyridged, approximatelyplanoconvex, flaton thecommissuralface,oftenwithone pyreneabortedorreduced;endospermruminate. Takf.uchiandPipoly,NewtaxafromPapuaNewGuinea 163 Fig.1.PsychotriaosianaTakeuchi&Pipoly.A.Branchlet.B.Developinginflorescenceemerging throughstipule.C.Inllorescence;showingmainrachisandparrofthesecondrachisin back.Thirdaxisdeletedforclarity.D.Floweratanthesis;petalsreflexing.E.Partiallydissected flower.A—Ddrawntromholotype. 164 Sum18(1) — Distributionaiiclecoloii^y. Knownonlyfrommossymontaneforestinthe HansMeyerRangeofsouthernNewIreland.Occurringasaseraielement ingapphaseregenerationamongmaturegrowthpremontaneforeststands, andalongfo—restmargins. Etymology. ItisagreatpleasuretodedicatethisspeciestoDr.OsiaGideon, DeputyDirectorofthePapuaNewGuineaForestResearchInstituteanda specialistinPapuasianRubiaceaeandZingiberaceae,forliisrelentlessef- fortstodocumenttherich,largelyautochthonous,floraofNewGuinea. PakatypI':PAPUANEWGUINEA.NewIreland:HansMeyerRange,pondnextto 'LakeCamp,'04°27.205'S, 152°56.489'E,1,175m,27Jan1994(fl,fr),W.I'akeiichi& J. Wuikabu9560(A,BRIT,K,L,LAE). PapuasianPsychotriawerefirstrevisedbyValeton(1927)andthenonclimbing representativesmorerecentlytreatedbySohmer(1988).Infragenericrela- tionshipsarestillpoorlyunderstoodduetothetaxonomicdifficultyofthe genusand theabsenceofregionally-basedstudies. Howeveranumberof informalspeciesgroupshavebeenrecognizedbySohmerfrommacroscopic featuressuchasstipuleformandinflorescencestructure. Psychotriaosiaruiischaracterizedbyacontractedtrichotomousinflores- cence(i.e.,with3rachisesbranchedatthebase),flowersopposedorverticelled alongthemainaxes,leafbladeswithabaxiallyfurfuraceous-tomentosemidribs, completelyglabrousflowers,andpetalsadaxiallypapillose.Thecorolline papillaeareapparentinfreshorrehydratedmaterial,butlesssoi>isicco. A totalof 17 speciesofPapuasianPsychotriahavesheathingstipulesof thesortpresentinPsychotiriaosiana.Developinginflorescencesandyoung leavesemergebyrupturingthroughthestipule,whichsubsequentlydisin- tegratesorfallsawayintact.Thecombinationofcalyptrate(sheathing)stipules andatrichotomousinflorescenceoccurs inonlytwospecies:P. leleanoides SohmerandP.lorentziiValeton.PsychotriaosianaisclearlyrelatedtoP.leleanoides, (aspeciesfromNewBritainandtheSolomonIslands),butisdistinguish- ablefromitbytheleafindumentumandtheentirelyglabrousflowerswith papillatecorolla.Judgingfromelevationaldistributions,Psychotriaosiana is the montanesisterspecies toP. leleanoides, thelatterbeingprimarilya lowlandtaxonfromelevationsbelow200m(Sohmer1988). CORSIACEAE CorsiapurpurataL.O.Williamsvar.wiakabui,Takeuchi&Pipoly,var. nov.(Fig.2).Type:PAPUANEWGUINEA.NewIreland:HansMeyerRange, pondnexrto'LakeCamp,'04°27.205'S,152°56.489'E,1,175m,28Jan1994(fl, fr),W.Takeuchi&J.Wiakabi/96!1(holotype:LAE,inspirit). AdCorsiapiirpuratamvar.purpuratamaccedenssedabealabelloacuminateneeadbasem extendenspraeclaredi.stat. Terrestrialherbto13cmheight,sciophytic,erect,allpartsglabrousand TakeuciiiandPiPOLY,NewtaxafromPapuaNewGuinea 165 5mm Fig.2.CarsiapuypiiratciL.O.Williamsvar.iviakabuiTakeuchi&Pipolyvar.nov.A.Ilabit, dorsalview.B.Habit,lateralview.C.Frontalaspect,petalsandlateralsepals.D.Median sepal.E.Petal.F.Basalcallosity,fromside.A-Fdrawnfromholotype. 166 SiiMlS(l) dullreddish-brown.Stenisrerete,weaklysulcate,thenodesdistant.Leases 4-5,spirallyarranged,acroscopic,basesheathing;laminalinear-acuminate, conduplicateorwithmarginsbroadlyrevolute,chartaceous,9—17mmlong, 4—6mmwide, to6-nerval,sometimesapiculate;venationvisibleasdark lines,notraisedoneitherside.Flowerssolitary,terminalontheunbranched stem,bisexual;mediansepalflabellate,symmetrical,16-19mmlong,20- 23 mmwide,noddingatanthesis, unguiculate,bluntlyacuminateatthe apex;thebasalcallositylinear,narrowlyraisedby4mmabovetheplaneof the'labelkim,'summitcorniculate,baseabruptlytruncateattheclaw;median sepal12-veined,theveinsparalleiodromous,divergingmainlyfromtheproximal halfofthesepal,onceorseveraltimesfurcatebeforethemargin;petalsand mm lateralsepalsisomorphic,basiscopicandincurved,costate,lanceolate,4 long, 3 mmwide,acumen 1.5 mm long;stamens6,in 2whorlsopposite theperianthsegments;filamentsresemblingthestyle,0.6-0.7mmlong; mm mthmeanthercells2,oblongoid, 1.2 long;stylesimple,cylindrical,ca. 1 long.Pr/ntnotseen.— Distributionandecology. KnownonlyfromthetypelocalityintheHans MeyerRangeonNewIreland.Corsiapi/rpunitcivar.wicikahiiioccursinfre- quently in mature-growth, primary premontane forest, on its floor, cov- eredbyleafduff.Thisnewvarietywasencounteredasapopulationflush- ingafterrecentrainsandthereafterevanescent;allindividualswereseenin comparablem—aturationalstates. Etyiiiology. Thenewvarietyisdedicated toJosephWiakabu;botanist, explorer-collector, and colleague from the PapuaNew Guinea National Herbarium. Paratvpi::PAPUANEWCUIINEA.Ni:\vIri.i.am): HunsMeyerRange,slopesabove rivervalleyontheascentfromMandihlake,()4^26'S, 152^^59'E,7^0m,10Au.^1975, M.J.S.Scnuhetcil.2091(K,EAE). CorsiawasrevisedbyvanRoyen{1972)inamonographbasedon45exsiccatae numbers,anaverageoflessthan2collectionsperspecies.Thelimitednumber ofspecimensavailableforstudyisduetopopulationrarity,theinconspicu- oushabitoftheplants,anephemeral[4ienology,andthepreferenceforsheltered micrositesinforestwhereambientlightconditionsfavorconcealment.Van Royen(ibid.)commentedthatencounterswithCorsiaareoftenofafortti- itousnature;occasionedbyunderstorysunflecksfallingontheplantsina certainwaybychance.Thereisnodoubtthatthegenusisrarelyfoundby collectors.Theinterveningyearssincetheinitialrevisionhasseenlittleincrease inavailabilityofspecimens,noristhesituationlikelytoimprovedramati- callyinthefuture.ThedifficultyofbotanizingpurposefullyforCorsiadis- courages the sort offield-based studies necessary for understanding the morphologicalvariationbetweenpopulations. TakeuchiandPiPOLY,NewtaxafromPapuaNewGuinea 167 AccordingtovanRoyen's(1972)conspectus,Corsiaisasaprophyticge- nuswith 25 speciesdistributed throughNewGuinea, theBismarckAr- chipelago,theSolomonIslands,andAustralia.Mostofthespeciesarenar- rowlydefinedendemicsofmontaneforesthabitats,andappeartoberestricted tospecificmountains. On thebasisofthevenationandbasalcallosityof themediansepal, thenewtaxonisrelatedtoC.purpuratavar.purpurata, butisdistinguishablebytheflabellate'labellum'withacuminateapexand thebasetruncateratherthanextended. Thetypelocalityforvar. waikabui isfloristicallydepauperateincom- parisontosimilarhabitatsfrommainlandNewGuinea,andisdispropor- tionatelycomposedofepiphyticornonendemicspecies(TakeuchiandWiakabu, inpress).Depauperatelevelsofbiologicaldiversityinthismontaneenvi- ronmentwasalsoreportedbyzoologicalspecialistsparticipatingintheNew Irelandsurvey(Beehlerinpress,passim).Theexpedition'scollectivefind- ingsareconsistentwithasuppositionthatthecloudyuplandsofsouthern NewIrelandareofgeologicallyrecentorigin.Inviewofthemultidisciplinary resultsfromtherecentsurvey,itisunlikelythatfutureexplorationofthe HansMeyerRangewillyieldsignificantnumbersofadditionalnovelties. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TheRapidAssessmentProtocol surveyofNewIrelandwasfundedby Conservation InternationalandtheBiodiversitySupportProgram.Expe- ditionleaderDr.BruceBeehlerandthePapuaNewGuineaDepartmentof EnvironmentandConservationperformedkeycoordinatingroles.TheLiz ClaiborneandArtOrtenbergFoundationand theJohnD.andCatherine T.MacArthurFoundationhaveprovidedongoingfinancialsupporttoW. Takeuchi forstudiespartiallybasedatthe PapuaNewGuineaNational Herbarium,atthePNGForestResearchInstitute,mLae,insupportofhis principalworkattheCraterMountainWildlifeManagementArea. NevilleHowcroftpreparedtheillustrationo{Corsiapurpuratavar.wiakabui and Talk Iwaguthe illustrationofPsychotriaosiana,which wegratefully acknowledge. REFERENCES Bi;eiim;r,B.M.(ecL).1993.PapuaNewGuineaconservationneedsassessment,vol.2.Cor- poratePress,Inc.,Landover,Maryland. Bi-EHLr,R,B.(ed.).Inpress.RapidAssessmentProgramWorkingPapers,No.10.Abiodiversity assessmentofsouthernNewIreland,PaptiaNewGuinea.Conservatif)nInternatiorial. 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