Actephila emarginata Heijkoop & Welzen, 2017

4. Actephila emarginata Heijkoop & Welzen View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 4; Map 2 View Map 2

Resembles A. ovalis and A. trichogyna in having short often hairy petioles and a fleshy disc.However, A.ovalis has elongating sepals and A. trichogyna has much smaller leaves. Unique for this species is a somewhat emargin- ate leaf base. — Type: Brass 29350 (holo L), Papua New Guinea, Morobe District, Oomsis.

Shrubs, 1– 2 m high, monocaulous or sparsely branched; flowering branches 2–4 mm diam, puberulous. Indumentum on most parts subglabrous. Stipules triangular to ovate, 1.4–1.7 by 1–1.2 mm, glabrous. Leaves: petioles 3–6 mm long, com- pletely pulvinate, striate when dry, sometimes with corky edges, glabrous to densely puberulous; blade obovate, sometimes elliptic, 9.5–27 by 4.6–10 cm, 1.6–2.7 times as long as wide, papyraceous, base emarginate to sometimes more obtuse in a few leaves, margin flat, apex acuminate to cuspidate, adaxially dull, dark green, abaxially pale green, puberulous on midrib and venation (more so towards leaf base); nerves 8–13 per side. Flowers solitary, green. Staminate flowers not seen. Pistillate flowers not seen, data from fruit; sepals broadly ovate or ovoid, widest just below the middle to at base, 2–2.5 by 1.5–2 mm, apex obtuse; petals not seen; disc a wide fleshy ring, substantially covering sepal base in fruit. Fruits 1.5–2 cm diam, green; pedicels 25–50 by 0.5–1 mm, thickening towards apex, smooth to edges somewhat striate when dry; sepals not elongating, horizontal to reflexed; wall with knobbly surface, lines of dehiscence not elevated, thin, glabrous; columella c. 6 mm long, basally completely covering the disc. S eeds immature flat, half-moon-shaped, c. 8 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, c. 5 mm high, mature not seen.

Distribution — New Guinea (only known from the type, endemic in area around Oomsis).

Habitat & Ecology — Rain forest on flood bank of stream. Altitude: 100 m. Flowering: May; fruiting: May .

Note — Typical for this species is the leaf base, which is generally emarginate, which do not occur in any of the other Actephila species in this region. The petioles are short and often strongly puberulous and the fruits have a relatively long, straight pedicel of up to 5 cm length.