Morinda wongiana Suratman, 2011

2. Morinda wongiana Suratman View in CoL , sp. nov. — Fig. 2 View Fig

Frutex (?). Ramuli glabri. Stipulae margine leviter connatae prope basin, glabrae.Petioli glabri. Folia obovato-oblonga vel elliptica vel oblonga,(3.5–) 3.7–9.5(–10) cm longa, 1.6–4.1 cm lata, glabra,coriacea;nervis secundariis 6–8 paribus,glabris;domatia absentia.Capitula florifera mascula terminalia, pseudo-umbellata,(2–)3–6(–7) fasciculata,circa (4–)5–10 flora,(3–) 4–7.7 mm longa, (5–) 5.1–8.2 mm lata (sine corollae). Flos masculus calyx limbus subcampanulatus, (1.75 –) 2–3.5 mm longus, (1.5–) 2–3 mm latus, vertice truncatus, glabrus; calyx lobus nullus. Flos hermaphroditus et femineus ignotus. Capitula fructifera globosa vel subglobosa, 5–17(–20) mm longa, 5–17(–20) mm lata, glabra. Pedunculis (6–) 7.25–24 mm longis, glabris. — Typus: H. F. Sun 9937 (holo BO), Indonesia, Sumatra, Baturadja .

Etymology. The specific epithet honours Prof. Dr. K.M. Wong, a botanist from the University of Malaya ( Malaysia), who revised Morinda in the Malay Peninsula.

Shrub(?, see note). Branchlets divaricating, subquadrangular when young but becoming terete with age, bark smooth on young branchlets, all parts glabrous, not glossy, light brown to dark greyish or dark brown to black when dry; internodes 17– 40(–78) by 1.25– 4 mm. Stipules triangular or broadly triangular, (4–)5 –7 by 3 –7 mm, shortly connate above axils, glabrous on both sides, apex acute or subacute to obtuse, membranous or subchartaceous, veins indistinct to slightly raised. Leaves petioles subterete or subquadrangular, (5–)7–12(–16) by 0.5 –1(–1.5) mm, grooved or flattened at upper part, sulcate, glabrous on all parts; lamina obovate-oblong or elliptic or oblong, (3.5–)3.7– 9.5(–10) by 1.6 –4.1 cm, base cuneate, margin entire and glabrous, apex shortly acuminate or shortly cuspidate, glabrous on both sides, coriaceous when dry, drying dark brown below and dark brown to light greyish brown above; secondary veins 6– 8 pairs, raised prominently below and flat to slightly to prominently raised above, glabrous; midrib raised prominently below and flat to slightly raised above, glabrous, smooth or usually slightly sulcate; tertiary veins slightly raised to almost indistinct on both sides, glabrous; domatia absent. Male flowering heads terminal, arranged in pseudo-umbels, consisting of (2–)3 –6(–7) heads, each head with c. (4 –)5 –10 flowers, (3–)4–7.7 by (5–) 5.1– 8.2 mm (without the corollas); peduncles terete or subterete, 6 –7.25 by 0.75–1(–1.5) mm, glabrous, smooth or slightly sulcate. Male flowers calyx limb subcampanulate, (1.75–)2 –3.5 by (1.5–) 2 –3 mm, truncate, glabrous, red coloured; calyx lobes indistinct, adjacent calyx tubes fused with each other; corollas not seen; stamens not seen; gynoecium completely undeveloped; stigma and rudimentary style none; disk present, located on the roof of the rudimentary ovary; rudimentary ovaries of adjacent flowers fused with each other, reduced and empty. Bisexual and female flowers unknown. Bracts lacking. Bracteoles none. Fruits fruiting heads globose or subglobose, 5–17(–20) by 5 –17(–20) mm, glabrous, with 4–7 fused fruitlets; stalks subterete, (6–)7.25– 24 by 1–2 mm, glabrous, sulcate. Seeds not seen.

Distribution — Sumatra and Borneo ( Kalimantan).

Habitat & Ecology — Found in rain forest and secondary vegetation, a few metres above sea level.

Additional specimens studied. INDONESIA, Riau Archipelago, Sambu Island , Dec. 1938, P . Buwalda 6223 ( BO) ; West Kalimantan, Soengei Sambas , 1893–1894, H . Hallier 1048 ( BO) ; Kalimantan, without locality, 1896–1897, Jaheri 1893 ( BO) .

Note — On Buwalda’s labels, this is noted as shrub. A morphological comparison of this plant with related species however shows that most characters match with those of climbing species. This species is similar to M. rigida Miq. leaf texture and inflorescence shape but can be distinguished from the latter because the surface of young branchlets, leaves, midribs, petioles, peduncle, outer calyx limb surface of male flowers and fruiting head stalks is always glabrous. The calyx limb and fruiting head stalks are also considerably longer ((1.75–) 2 –3.5 mm resp. (6–) 7.25 – 24 mm) than in M. rigida ( 0.75–1.5 mm resp. 3 –6 mm). Only four specimens are known in this study, one with fallen corollas ( H. Hallier 1048), two with mature fruit ( H.F. Sun 9937 and Jaheri 1893) and one with immature fruit ( P.Buwalda 6223). The distinction of the floral types is not always easy, especially for the inexperienced. Therefore, more material is needed to clarify floral morphology of this species.