Hydnophytum alboviride Merr. & L.M.Perry

15. Hydnophytum alboviride Merr. & L.M.Perry View in CoL — Fig. 18 View Fig

Hydnophytum alboviride Merr.& L.M.Perry (1945) 21. — Type: Brass 12683 (lectotype selected here A; iso BO, BRI, L), New Guinea, Papua Province, 18 km southwest of Bernhard Camp, Idenburg River , Feb. 1939 .

Hydnophytum crassicaule P.Royen (1983) 2672, f. 770. — Type: Lam 1796 (holo L; iso BO), New Guinea, Papua Province, Doorman Top, 29 Oct. 1920, syn. nov.

Hydnophytum vaccinifolium P.Royen (1983) 2668,f. 769. — Type: Lam 1641 (holo L; iso BO), New Guinea, Papua Province, on ridge to Doorman Top, 18 Oct. 1920, syn. nov.

Tuber globose, to 24 by 9 cm, surface smooth. Entrance holes large, funnel-like, often lipped. Cavities all smooth-walled and bulbous-ended. Stems several, to 1 m long; internodes 0.5–4 cm, nodes somewhat thickened; when short, internodes appearing as an imbricated series of small cones. Lamina ovate to subrotund; 0.7 by 0.4 to 1.6 by 0.9 cm; apex acute; base abruptly attenuate to truncate; thick. Petiole 0.1 cm; stipules triangular, 0.2 cm, persistent. Inflorescence paired, sessile; bracts sparse, triangular to 0.3 cm. Flowers [5]?not heterostylous. Calyx ciliate or entire, 2 mm. Corolla greenish white, tube 7–10 mm, glabrous within, lobes 3 mm, unci 1 mm. Anthers to 2 mm, at mouth of tube. Pollen 52–76 μm. Stigma 2-fid, exserted, above anthers or at level of anthers. Fruit red, but otherwise unknown.

Ecology & Habitat — Ridge top, mossy forest,2 150–3 250 m. Tuber not inhabited by ants.

Distribution — Indonesia (Papua Province).

Conservation status — Vulnerable (VU) under criteria D2 with only two locations known about 55 km apart.

Note — The thickened stems and ovate leaves characterise this high altitude species. Van Royen recognised two manuscript names of Valeton’s, albeit applying one to a different entity (Valeton’s ‘vaccinifolium’ falls under H. decipiens ). Valeton had planned (MS Leiden) to use Lam 1641 as the type for his manuscript name ‘condensatum’. We have reduced both taxa until such time as further collections become available.