Hydnophytum virgatum Valeton

d. Hydnophytum virgatum Valeton View in CoL

Hydnophytum virgatum Valeton (1927) 143. — Types: Ledermann 11646, 11701, 11849 (B not seen, presumed lost), Papua New Guinea,East Sepik Province, Schrader Mountains.

Description taken from Valeton (1927): “ Tuber small, singlestemmed? Branches long and slender, little branched, bark thick, black, branches sharply tetragonal, newest branches flattened (internodes 60 by 2–4 mm). Stipules minute, ovate. Leaves short-petiolate (3–6 mm); lamina narrow-lanceolate (5–9 by 1.5–2 cm), base and apex attenuate-acute, rigid subcoriaceous, olive-green when dry, midrib prominent below, sunken above, remainder veinless. Flowers in cushion-like or tuberculate, sessile, minute aggregations. Bracts inconspicuous, glabrous. Calyx glabrous, short, disc overtopping it. Corolla tube about twice as long as calyx (3.5 mm overall), petals spreading and recurved a little from tube. From throat to insertion of anthers densely hairy, these shortly erect above, exserted from throat, spreading below.Anthers exserted, anthers and filaments equally long. Submature drupes oblong-ovate (4 mm), calyx coronate. Pyrenes ovoid, 3.5 by 1.75 mm, flattened, abaxial surface convex; apex obtuse; base rounded.”

Ecology & Habitat — Forest, at 2 070 m.

Distribution — Papua New Guinea, Schrader Mts.

Note — We have not seen the specimens mentioned by Valeton, and have been unable to satisfactorily understand this species. In its narrow leaves and sessile inflorescence, it matches H. stenophyllum , another little known species.