Lasianthus clementis Merr.

26. Lasianthus clementis Merr. View in CoL

Lasianthus clementis Merr. (1908b) 164; Elmer (1911) 1034; (1913) 1869; Merr. (1923) 565. — Syntypes: Clemens 561 (PNH†), 846 (PNH†), Phil- ippines, Mindanao, Leyte. Neotype: Elmer 13613 ( K, designated here), Philippines, Mindanao , Agusan, Cabadbaran .

Lasianthus canephoroides Wernham (1918) View in CoL 73. — Type: Forbes 203 (holo BM), New Guinea, Sogere, 2000 ft, syn. nov.

Lasianthus bulusanensis Elmer (1934a) View in CoL 3252. — Type: Elmer 16532 (iso L, U), Philippines, Luzon, Sorsogon, Mt Bulusan , syn. nov.

Lasianthus neglectus Valeton ex Bakh.f. (1963) View in CoL 63, Bakh.f. (1965) 343, syn. nov. — Type: Backer 4915 (holo L), W Java, Mt Tjerimai , 1500 m alt.

Shrubs, 1–1.5 m tall; branches and branchlets densely appressed-pubescent. Leaves: blades elliptic, oblong or ovate-oblong, 7–10 by 3 – 5 cm, subcoriaceous to chartaceous, glabrous above, densely appressed-pubescent on midrib and nerves beneath, apex cuspidate-acuminate or acuminate, base acute or obtuse, midrib and nerves flat or slightly depressed above, prominent beneath, nerves 4–6 pairs, ascending at an angle of c. 60°, curved to the margin, nervules subparallel, slightly promi- nent beneath; petioles 3 –7 mm long, appressed-pubescent. Stipules minute, subulate, c. 1 mm long, appressed-pubescent. Cymes sessile; bracts absent. Flowers sessile, clusters; calyx campanulate, 1.5 mm long, appressed-pubescent,with 5 minute and triangular or subulate teeth; corolla white, 6 –7 mm long, 5-lobed, pilose outside, villous inside. Drupes globose, pubescent or subglabrous, 3 – 6 mm diam; pyrenes 5.

Distribution — Philippines (Mindanao, Negros, Luzon), Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, Sulawesi, Moluc- cas), New Guinea

Notes — The type of L. clementis was not seen, but several specimens from the Philippines which are indicated as L. clementis , including the ones determined by Merrill himself, match Merrill’s description well. The species is acceptable and consequently one of these collections from Mindanao of the Philippines, from the same place as the syntypes, was selected as a neotype. Lasianthus clementis is hardly distinguished from L. canephoroides from New Guinea and L. neglectus from Java. They are conspecific.

According to Elmer, L. bulusanensis differs from L. clementis by having leaves with caudate apex and acute base, which are just the same as those from Java (= L. neglectus ). This is not enough to separate it from L. clementis .

Lasianthus clementis is very closely related L. hispidulus from mainland SE Asia, Sumatra and Borneo. It is separated from L. hispidulus in having more or less appressed hairs on branchlets, leaves beneath and calyx, and drupes appressed-pubescent or subglabrous. Lasianthus hispidulus has a dense covering of spreading hairs on branchlets, leaves beneath, calyx, and drupes. Both L. hispidulus and L. clementis have close affinity to L. fordii . They differ from L. fordii in having densely hairy branches, leaves beneath and calyx. The three taxa form a species complex or a complex species.