Drepananthus novoguineensis, I.M.Turner & Utteridge, 2017

Drepananthus novoguineensis View in CoL (Baker f.) I.M.Turner & Utteridge comb. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77164170-1

Basionym: Cyathocalyx novoguineensis Baker View in CoL f., Journal of Botany 61 (Suppl.): 3 ( Baker 1923). – Type: New Guinea, Sogeri Region, [Mt Gawada], 1885–1886, H. O. Forbes 544 (holo-: BM000546903; iso-: BRI-AQ0210735, FI007547, K, L0037905, SING0026209).

Cyathocalyx obtusifolius var. angustifolius Baker f., Journal of Botany 61 (Suppl.): 3 ( Baker 1923). – Type: New Guinea, Sogeri Region, 1885–1886, H. O. Forbes 661 (holo-: BM000608827; iso-: MEL578174).

Regional distribution

Solomon Archipelago ( BSIP 5260, BSIP 16178, BSIP 3642, BSIP 15156).

Notes

In their paper confirming the phylogenetic separation of Drepananthus from Cyathocalyx, Surveswaran et al. (2010) considered Cyathocalyx novoguineensis as a synonym of Drepananthus petiolatus (Diels) Survesw. & R.M.K.Saunders. In our opinion these two taxa can be distinguished. The petal blades are generally much shorter in Drepananthus petiolatus (to 1 cm long compared to at least 6 cm in Cyathocalyx novoguineensis from New Guinea), more strictly linear rather than long tapering, and glabrescent vs densely pale hairy. Drepananthus petiolatus appears to be a highland species and Cyathocalyx novoguineensis a lowland one, though there may be some overlap in altitudinal ranges. However, there is no indication that the different morphologies are simply an effect of altitude. We therefore make a new combination here for Cyathocalyx novoguineensis in Drepananthus .

There is a species of Drepananthus widely collected in the Melanesian Solomon Islands. Morphologically the specimens are similar to Drepananthus novoguineensis (Baker f.) I.M.Turner & Utteridge comb. nov. The specimens seen have shorter petal blades than the New Guinea material (to 2 cm long vs up to 6 cm) and they are less densely hairy, but otherwise flower and fruit forms are congruous. We therefore include this Solomon Islands’ material in Drepananthus novoguineensis (Baker f.) I.M.Turner & Utteridge comb. nov.