Lasianthus membranaceus Stapf

78. Lasianthus membranaceus Stapf View in CoL

Lasianthus membranaceus Stapf (1894) View in CoL 184;Merr.(1921) 578. — Type: Haviland 1336 (lecto K, designated here; isolecto SING); Haviland 1300 (para K), Borneo, Penokok, 3000 ft.

Lasianthus membranaceus Stapf var. firma Stapf (1894) 185; Merr. (1921) 578, syn. nov. — Type: Haviland 1241 (holo K), Borneo, Kadamaian, 5000 ft.

Shrubs, up to 2 m high, glabrous; branchlets terete, sometimes compressed in the youngest part, c. 2 mm diam. Leaves: blades oblong to elliptic-oblong or obovate-oblong, 11–22 by 4–7 cm, membranaceous, apex cuspidate, base broadly cuneate or cuspidate-acute, slightly asymmetric, midrib and nerves flat to slightly prominent above, prominent beneath, nerves 4–7 pairs, ascending at an angle of over 60°, curved to the mar- gin, nervules loosely anastomosing, weak at both surfaces, reticulate; petioles 5–10 mm long. Stipules triangular, up to 3 mm long, glabrous or ciliate at tip. Cymes sessile or very short tuberculate; bracts inconspicuous or linear, usually 3 mm long, glabrous or hirsute. Flowers sessile; calyx tube obconical, c. 1 mm long, glabrous, limb c. 0.5 mm long, glabrous, with minute 4 subulate teeth; corolla tube c. 5 mm long, glabrous outside, lobes 4, linear-oblong, c. 2 mm long; anthers 4; ovary 4-locular. Drupes ovoid, c. 10 mm long, glabrous, verrucose; pyrenes 2–4, with thick warty wall.

Distribution — Malaysia (Borneo), Brunei.

Note — This species has glabrous oblong leaves, 4-mer- ous flowers, calyx with 4 triangular teeth, ovary 4-locular, drupes with 2–4 pyrenes. The variety firma cannot clearly be distinguished from the typical variety and should be reduced to synonymy. Lasianthus membranaceus differs from L. kinabaluensis by larger leaves with rounded bases. Lasianthus membranaceus occurs mainly on low land and lower montane rainforest below 1500 m altitude, while L. kinabaluensis occurs mainly in upper montane rainforest over 1200 m altitude.