Search

Three new species of Breynia are described for Malesia, B. longistyla from Borneo, B. papillosa from New Guinea, and B. suborbicularis from Sulawesi. They are primarily distinguished by characters of indumentum, leaves, and styles. Ten lectotypes and one neotype are designated, and one new synonym is proposed.

A revision of Leptopus and Notoleptopus (Phyllanthaceae tribe Poranthereae) in Malesia is presented. Both genera are present with a single species in Malesia, L. australis and N. decasnei, respectively. Phylogenetically the two genera are distinct, but morphologically their differences are minimal. Nomenclature, descriptions, distributions and various notes are presented, just as a technical drawing of both species.

Eighteen species of Decalobanthus are recognized in this concise revision of the genus. Two new combinations are made and one new name is proposed to accommodate a change in rank. The genus is centered in Southeast Asia and Malesia, with outlier species in the tropical Pacific and one species that reaches the Neotropics; a single wide-ranging species extends from eastern Tropical Africa and Madagascar in the west to the Hawaiian Islands in the east. Each species is provided with a diagnosis, summary of the species' ecology, compiled vernacular names, and uses. Distributions are mapped based on herbarium voucher specimens. Where appropriate, typifications and nomenclatural problems are explained and comments on morphological variation and the need for further study are highlighted. Selected species are illustrated with colour photos of living plants. An index of numbered collections examined is provided to aid in specimen identification and herbarium curation.

Ridsdalea philippinensis (Rubiaceae), a new species from the karst forest in El Nido (Palawan, Philippines), is described and illustrated. It is unique among Malesian Ridsdalea species in having a corolla tube that is distinctly inflated at the apex, a character state also displayed by R. sootepensis and R. thailandica from Laos and Thailand. Amongst others, R. philippinensis, however, differs from both of these species in having smaller flowers and anthers that do not emerge from the corolla tube. An updated key for Philippine Ridsdalea is also presented.

Hydnophytum (Psychotrieae Hydnophytinae) is revised. A key is provided, and an informal infrageneric grouping is proposed. Variation in tuber structure is discussed. Fifty-five species are recognised, of which 19 are described as new. For one species a number of varieties are also described. Forty-four species are found in New Guinea, of which 41 are endemic. The recent transfer of a number of taxa into an expanded concept of Squamellaria based on a molecular phylogeny is addressed. Three taxa of Squamellaria are included in this revision to complete the series of papers on the tuberous epiphytes of the Rubiaceae.

Maesa brevipedicellata, a new species of Maesa ( Primulaceae-Maesoideae) from Papua New Guinea, is described and illustrated based on herbarium specimen observations. The collections of this species resemble M. rufovillosa and were previously determined as that species. Maesa brevipedicellata is unique with its self- supporting habit, hispid hairs throughout and paniculate inflorescences with very short pedicels. This new species mainly differs from M. rufovillosa by the habit (tree/shrub in M. brevipedicellata vs climber in M. rufovillosa) and the inflorescence structure (panicles in M. brevipedicellata vs simple racemes in M. rufovillosa).

Trigonostemon is taxonomically revised for Malesia based on herbarium collections and field observations. Thirty-eight species are recognized in Malesia, of which four of uncertain status and four newly described. The previous infrageneric classifications are briefly reviewed, but none is accepted. Some useful characters are discussed. An identification key, nomenclature, descriptions, typification, geographic distributions and taxonomic notes are provided.

Alangium Lam. sect. Conostigma Bloemb. is largely confined to the Malesian area and contains 19 species. By using the characters as found in the original species-descriptions, and with emphasizing the nature of the indument of the leaf bud, the confusingly variable Alangium javanicum s.l.-complex could be dismantled for a great part. Four new species: A. ledermannii, A. pallens, A. plumbeum, and A. subcordatum, and two new varieties: A. meyeri var. macilentum and A. ebenaceum var. insignis are recognised. Two taxa are raised to specific status: A. nobile subsp. denudatum to A. denudatum and A. javanicum var. minahassicum to A. minahassicum. A key to the species is presented, and the concerned taxa are enumerated, referenced, described and some are figured.

A systematic treatment of the genus Dalbergia for the Flora Malesiana (FM) region is presented. The treatment includes a genus description, two keys to the species, an enumeration of the species present in the FM-area with names and synonyms, details of distribution, habitat and ecology and where needed some notes, three new species (D. minutiflora, D. pilosa, D. ramosii) are described. A new name for D. polyphylla is proposed (D. multifoliolata). The paper also contains an overview of the names, a list of collections seen and references to the literature.

The genus Cnidoscolus, a species rich genus in the Americas, has been introduced in the Philippines. A cultivar of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius is used as vegetable and has been collected from gardens in Manila and Pasay City and two times near Cebu City. It cannot be excluded that it has escaped cultivation there, but the species does not appear to be invasive.

Pimelodendron comprises five species. Four species were already known (P. amboinicum, P. griffithianum, P. macrocarpum, P. zoanthogyne). One Sumatran species is to separate in the rest of Pimelodendron without naming it (Pimelodendron spec. nov.?). One name is excluded (P. dispersum = Actephila excelsa var. javanica), while P. naumannianum is regarded as a synonym of P. amboinicum.

The sections of Ficus subg. Sycomorus are described and their Malesian species listed and keyed out. Six new species are described in the subgenus: Ficus albomaculata, F. biakensis, F. boanensis, F. limosa, F. manuselensis, F. morobensis, F. remifolia, F. rubrosyce, F. scopulifera; and one new subspecies: F. botryocarpa Miq. subsp. hirtella C.C. Berg. The new combinations F. botryocarpa Miq. subsp. subalbidoramea (Elmer) C.C. Berg, F. porrecta (Corner) C.C. Berg, F. trichocerasa Diels subsp. pleioclada (Diels) C.C. Berg are also made. The following new sections and subsection are proposed: Subg. Sycomorus sect. Bosscheria (Teijsm. & de Vriese) C.C. Berg, sect. Dammaropsis (Warb.) C.C. Berg, sect. Papuasyce (Corner) C.C. Berg, and subsect. Neomorphe (King) C.C. Berg.

The sections of Ficus subg. Sycidium are described and their Malesian species listed and keyed out. Six new species are described in the subgenus: F. floresana, F. funiculicaulis, F. kuchinensis, F. myiopotamica, F. sandanakana, and F. stellaris. The combination F. stellaris subsp. pallida (Corner) C.C. Berg is made.

The sections of Ficus L. subg. Ficus are described and their Malesian species listed and a key to their identification is provided. One new subsection is established: Ficus subg. Ficus sect. Eriosycea subsect. Auratae. Four new species and two new subspecies are described: F. auricoma, F. glabristipulata, F. kofmanae, F. subglabritepala, F. oleifolia subsp. monantha, and F. hirta subsp. ochracea. Some new combinations and changes of rank are made: F. deltoidea subsp. motleyana, F. oleifolia subsp. intermedia, F. hirta subsp. dumosa and subsp. roxburghii, and F. tricolor var. robusta.

The sections and subsections of Ficus subg. Synoecia are described and their Malesian species listed and keyed out. Six new species are described or established in the subgenus: F. cavernicola, F. colobocarpa, F. jacobsii, F. jimiensis, F. sohotonensis, and F. submontana. The combination F. disticha Blume subsp. calodictya (Summerh.) C.C. Berg is made and the lectotypes for F. alococarpa Diels and F. simiae H.J.P. Winkl. are designated.

The position of Ficus subg. Pharmacosycea sect. Oreosycea and its subdivision are briefly discussed. A new subsection Glandulosae C.C. Berg is established. Five new species are described for the Malesian region: F. carinata, F. matanoensis, F. saruensis, F. sclerosycia, and F. subcaudata. Ficus pubinervis Blume and F. minor King are reduced to subspecies of F. nervosa Roth.