Lasianthus floresensis H.Zhu, 2012

48. Lasianthus floresensis H.Zhu View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 16 View Fig

Proximus L. fortulentus Ridsd. , sed petiolis brevioribus c. 2 mm longis, cymis sessilis, lobis calycis oblongis 3 mm longis et pyrenis leviter verrucosis differt. —

Typus: Verheijen 2359 (holo L), Lesser Sunda Islands, Flores, 22 Dec. 1996 .

Shrub; branchlets terete, c. 1 mm diam, sparsely hirsute to glabrescent. Leaves: blades ovate-elliptic, 4–8 by 2–3.5 cm, subcoriaceous, glabrous or sparsely hirsute midrib and nerves beneath, apex acute, margin recurved, base acute to subrounded, midrib slightly prominent above, prominent beneath, nerves prominent on both surfaces, 4–5 pairs, ascending at an angle of 70–80°, curved, joining the veins above near leaf margin, forming an obscure intramarginal vein, nervules slightly prominent on both surfaces, weak, reticulate; petioles short, c. 2 mm long, sparsely hirsute or glabrescent. Stipules very small, triangular, c. 0.5 mm long. Inflorescences sessile; bracts absent. Flowers solitary, sessile; calyx campanulate, tube c. 1.5 mm long, puberulous, lobes 4, oblong, c. 3 mm long, 1 mm broad, glabrous or sparsely puberulous; corolla 5 mm long, tube c. 2 mm long, glabrous, lobes 4, ovate, 3 by 3 mm, puberulous external surface, floccose internal surface. Drupes subglobose, glabrous, c. 5 mm diam, verrucose, with 4 conspicuous, obtuse ridges, crowned by persistent oblong calyx lobes; pyrenes 4, slightly warty on the abaxial face, suborbicular in the transverse section.

Distribution — Indonesia: Java, Lesser Sunda Islands ( Flores, Sumbawa), Moluccas.

Habitat & Ecology — Flowering and fruiting in December.

Additional specimens examined. Lesser Sunda Islands,Sumbawa, herb Soembawa 194 (L); Java, J.H. Coert 1423 (L); Moluccas,Tanimbar,Jamdena, D.R. Pleyte 175 (L), P. Buwalda 4713 (K, L).

Note — This species is closely related to L. fortulentus Ridsd. from Ceylon. It differs from the latter by having shorter petioles (c. 2 mm long), cymes sessile, calyx lobes oblong, 3 mm long, and pyrenes slightly warty on the abaxial face; while L. fortulentus has petioles up to 1.5 cm long, cymes shortly pedunculate, calyx lobes triangular, 1–1.3 mm long, pyrenes conspicuously sulcate on the abaxial face.