Hydnophytum magnifolium Merr. & L.M.Perry

10. Hydnophytum magnifolium Merr. & L.M.Perry View in CoL — Fig. 11 View Fig ; Map 2 View Map 2

Hydnophytum magnifolium Merr. & L.M.Perry (1945) 15. — Type: Brass 14130 (lectotype selected here A; iso L), New Guinea, Papua Province, Bernhard Camp , Idenburg river , Apr. 1939.

Tuber subglobose, to 50 cm diam, surface smooth. Entrance holes conical to 0.6 cm across. Stems several, branching, to 90 cm long. Internodes 1–6 by 0.2–0.6 cm. Leaves shortly petiolate. Lamina lanceolate to elliptic; 3.2 by 1 to 16 by 8 cm; apex acute-acuminate; base attenuate; midrib prominent below, veins 6–10. Petiole 0.4–1 cm; stipules inconspicuous, triangular, to 0.2 cm, papery, caducous. Inflorescence paired, sessile to mound-like. Bracts few, papery to 2 mm. Flowers [4] heterostylous. Calyx entire, to 2 mm. Corolla tube 4.5–6 mm; lobes 2 mm; a broad ring of hairs immediately within mouth of tube and partly exserted. Short-styled flowers with anthers exserted on filaments to 1.5 mm; pollen 3-porate, 62 (57–73) µm, brochi 1 µm, vesicles and pores small; stigma 2-lobed, 1/2 way up tube. Long-styled flowers anthers 1 mm, within mouth of tube; pollen 3-porate, 52 (50–54) µm, brochi 1 µm, vesicles and pores small; stigma exserted. Fruit 5 by 2.5 mm, red. Pyrenes ellipsoid to obovoid to obtriangular, 4.5 by 2 mm; apex truncate with three acute to rounded lobes, the middle one longest; abaxial surface prominently ribbed with 2 furrows; base tapering or rounded

Ecology & Habitat — Forest, sea level to 600 m. Only once recorded with ants.

Distribution — Indonesia (western New Guinea) and Papua New Guinea.

Conservation status — Least Concern (LC). Whilst probably Vulnerable in some parts of its range, this taxon is widespread across much of the north coast of New Guinea with herbarium collections indicating 5 locations (subpopulations). Other information: georeferenced collections 10, AOO 17 500 km 2 (using an auto-value cell width of 50 km), EOO c. 78 500 km 2.

Note — Differs from H. lauterbachii [9] in its thicker lamina, smaller, more papery inflorescence bracts and 3-lobed pyrene apex. It is confined to the north coast of western New Guinea, while H. lauterbachii is a south coast species.