Thymelaeaceae) in Papua New Guinea

Full Length Research Paper

Revision of Gonystylus (thymelaeaceae) in Papua New Guinea

Oliver K. Paul

PNG Forest Research Institute, Forest Biology Program P. O. Box 314, LAE, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: (675) 472 4188.

Accepted 20 February, 2013

Gonystylus was described by Teijsmann and Minnendijk in 1862. Currently, 31 species are recognized in the Malesian region. Of these, two species occur in Papua New Guinea. Gonystylus punctatus has a restricted distribution in the Madang Province whereas Gonystylus macrophyllus is widespread throughout Papua New Guinea. This work is based on the herbarium specimens and relevant literature cited.

Key words: Gonystylus, Malesian, Papua New Guinea.

INTRODUCTION

Gonystylus is a genus with 31 species in the Malesiana is only recorded from the Madang Province (Airy, 1964), region (Keong, 2007). It is distributed from the and is rare and has a restricted distribution. G. Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, macrophyllus is widespread. This review of the genus in Indonesia (including Indonesian Papua), Papua New Papua New Guinea provides descriptions, distribution, Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji. ecology notes and keys to the species. Botanical regions The genus Gonystylus was first described by cited in this study are in line with that of Womersley Teijsmann and Binnendijk (1862) and the first species to (1978). Distribution map was plotted using co-ordinates be described as such was Gonstylus miquelianus Teijsm of all specimens as examined by Zach (2007). and Binnend. This name was later considered to be a synonym of Gonystylus macrophyllus (Miq.) (Airy, 1947). Ridley (1922) recognized one species of Gonstylus. In GENERIC DESCRIPTION OF GONYSTYLUS 1942, Smith described an additional species, namely, Gonystylus punctatus. Gonystylus Teijsm and Binnend (1862) Airy (1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1964, 1969, 1972, 1973) undertook a detailed study of the genus which It has an outer dark brown bark, usually fissured, ridged, resulted in many new species being described. Merrill scaly, inner bark usually pinkish orange to brown and cut (1967) described three endemic species of the surface glistening or not protruding silky fibers. It has Philippines. Airy (1969) described three new species from small to large trees, 15 to 35 m tall. The sapwood is straw Sarawak. Whitmore (1972) revised the Thymelaeaceae colored to white and soft. The twigs are blackish, marked for Malaya and under the genus, Gonystylus; he by longitudinal lines while the leaves are simple, recognized five species in the region. Airy (1972) alternate, spiral with translucent punctate glands, brittle, recognized 28 species of the genus and provided an main tertiary nerves parallel to secondary veins, updated classification to his earlier Flora Malesiana secondary veins prominent below, mid rib sunken above, account (Airy, 1972). In 1973, Airy Shaw further revised sparsely hairy below especially, on the midrib. the group and described two new species in Gonystylus Inflorescences are usually terminal, narrow panicles with from Sarawak. short side branches and the flowers stalked, 1 to 5 cm Based on available herbarium specimens and long, calyx cup-like, green, hairy and 5-lobed with petals literature, there are two species in Papua New Guinea usually inserted at the base of calyx being white and the namely, G. punctatus and G. macrophyllus. G. punctatus stamens yellow. Fruits seated on persistent calyx; Scholarly J. Agric. Sci. 220

Figure 1. Type image of Gonystylus macrophyllus (Miq.) (Airy, 1947, 1953).

capsule with thick woody walls, splitting into 2 to 5 parts; brown to brown or black; slightly rough, flaky while the surface finely warty. The seeds are large, completely or inner bark is pinkish orange; fibrous, protruding silky partly enclosed in colourful arils. fibers glistening. The wood straw is coloured. The leaves It is distributed Papua New Guinea; Madang, Morobe, are lamina broad, ovate, elliptic to obovate, 4.5 to 12.5 Western, Northern (Oro), Milne Bay and Manus and has cm wide, 11.5 to 33 cm long; base rounded; apex obtuse an ecology of lowland rainforest on ridges and along to long acuminate; punctuate glands present; venation creeks from sea level to 600 masl (Teijsm and Binnend, visible and prominent below with midrib sunken above. 1862). The flowers are on branched axis; having pedicels 1 to 3 cm long; calyx cupular, greyish green, hairy, persistent with distinct sepals and petals, 5-lobed; corolla dull white KEY TO THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA SPECIES and stamens yellow. The fruits are greyish brown to brown; globose, 2 to 5 cm long, 1.5 to 2 cm diameter; Gonystylus macrophyllus (Miq.) Airy Shaw calyx lobes persistent at base, at least 5 cm or more in diameter; splitting into 3 to 5 segments with 3 to 5 large G. macrophyllus (Miq.): Type: (K, n. v.) (Airy, 1947, seeds (Teijsm and Binnen, 1862; Airy, 1947). 1953). Aquilaria macrophylla (Miq.) Type: (K, n. v.) It is distributed in Papua New Guinea: Madang, Sumatra (Teijsm and Binnen, 1860; Miquel, 1861; Airy, Morobe, Western, Northern (Oro), Milne Bay and Manus. 1947). Gonystylus miquelianus (Teijsm and Binnend): It has ecology of lowland rain forests up to an elevation of Type: (K, n. v.) Java, Bogor (Teijsm and Binnen, 1862; 600 m, occurring along ridges or hillsides and sometimes Airy, 1947). associated with Nypa fruticans in waterlogged or swampy G. macrophyllus is a medium to large tree that is more areas. than 35 m high. The bole is straight, cylindrical (up to 20 The vernacular names –Papua New Guinea: Morobe; cm dbh) and up to 12 m long. The outer bark is greyish Salamaua, aisesail; Northern (Oro), Orokaiva, sauma. Oliver 221

Figure 2. Type image of Gonystylus punctatus (Smith, 1942).

The bark and leaf venation are quite distinct in this prominent below (Teijsm and Binnen, 1860; Miquel, species, the only Gonystylus in Papuasia. The venation 1861; Airy, 1947). of Garcinia (Clusiaceae) is similar but the leaves are The flowers are arranged in panicles on branched axis opposite in this genus with the bark containing latex. with pedicel 1.5 to 5 cm long; calyx green, hairy and The specimens examined are Foreman and Katik LAE persistent; corolla white and stamens yellow. Fruits are 59173; Hoogland 3541; Meachum NGF 28049; Munro 3; not seen on Hoogland 5183, more or less ellipsoid Oliver Paul LAE 87798; Pullen 7485; Streimann NGF (Figure 2) (Parham 1972: 149-150; Smith, 1942; Airy, 24278; Streimann NGF 44294; Streimann and Katik NGF 1964). 34043; Streimann and Lelean NGF 18366; Swaine 23. It is distributed in Papua New Guinea: Madang: Purai River, NE of Mt. Hellwig. It has ecology of tall, moderately open secondary forest, growing along creeks at low Gonystylus punctatus A. C. Smith elevations up to 350 m. The vernacular names – Papua New Guinea, Madang: G. punctatus is a medium size tree, 15 to 25 m high with warteh. Specimens examined: Hoogland 5183. bole, 10 to 15 m high. The outer bark is dark brown, fissured while the inner bark brown is fibrous and fibers not glistening. Wood straw is darker towards center ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (heart wood). The leaves are lamina narrow, oblong, 3 to 6 cm wide, 18 to 15 cm long; base tapering; apex I would like to thank Robert Kiapranis, the Program acuminate; lamina surface covered with more or less Manager for Forest Biology Program and Kipiro Damas, transparent oil dots; venation not visible and not both from PNG Forest Research Institute for their Scholarly J. Agric. Sci. 222

Figure 3. Distribution of Gonystylus macrophyllus and G. punctatus; the blue dot indicates the distribution of G. punctatus while the yellow ring with black dot inside indicates the distribution of G. macrophyllus.

invaluable assistance and advice. I am also grateful to Airy Shaw, H.K. (1972). Thymelaeaceae. Gonystyloideae. In: van Robert Johns for his comments and advice on the Steenis (ed.) Flora Malesiana ser 1. 6: 976-982 Airy Shaw, H.K. (1973). Two new taxa in Gonystylus (Thymelaeaceae). treatment of the entire group and finally, to Dr. Zach Kew Bull. 28 (1-3): 267-268 Rogers for the distribution map and photos of the type Baker, C.A and Bakhuizen, R.C (1963). Flora of Java. 1: 401 specimens. Conn, B.J and Damas, K.Q. (2006+) Guide to trees of Papua New Guinea. http://www.pngplants.org/PNGtrees Keong, C.H. (2007). Implementing ramin’s CITES listing. ITTO Tropical Forest Update, 1 17; 3-5 REFERENCES Merrill, E.D. (1967). An Enumeration of Philippine Flowering Plants 3: 21-22 Airy Shaw, H.K. (1946). Thymelaeaceae. Kew Bull. 1: 43-44 Miquel, F.A.W. (1860-1861). Flora van Nederlansch Indie Eerste Airy Shaw, H.K. (1947). Notes on the genus Gonystylus Teijsm. and bijwegsel – Flora Indiae Batavae Supplementum. Binnend. Kew Bull. 1: 9-16 Parham, J.W. (1972). Plants of the Fiji Islands. rev. ed. Suva, Fiji. Airy Shaw, H.K. (1950). New or noteworthy species of Gonystylus and Ridley, H.N. (1922). The Flora of The Malay Peninsula 1: 321-323 related genera. Kew Bull. 1: 138-147 Smith, A.C. (1942). Sargentia I Fijian Plant Studies II: 65, fig. 4 Airy Shaw, H.K. (1952). Three new species of Gonystylus from Borneo. Tantra, I.G.M. and Whitmore, T.C. (1986). Tree Flora of Indonesia. Kew Bull. 1: 73-74 Checklist for Sumatra, Forest Research and Development Center Airy Shaw, H.K. (1953). Thymelaeaceae-Gonystyloideae. In: van Bogor Steenis (ed.) Flora Malesiana ser.1, 4: 349-361 Teijsmann and Binnendijk (1862), Gonystylus miquelianus. Bot. Zeit. Airy Shaw, H.K. (1964). New or noteworthy species of Gonystylus 20: 265 species (Thymelaeaceae), principally from Borneo. Kew Bull. 17(1-3): Whitmore, T.C. (1972). Gonystylus. Tree Flora of Malaya 2: 387-391. 447-458 Womersley, J.S. (1978). Handbooks of the Flora of Papua New Guinea. Airy Shaw, H.K. (1969). New Species of Gonystylus. Kew Bull. 23: 269- Vol. 1. Melbourne University Press 271