On the delimitationbetween Aristotelia l’Hér.
and Sericolea Schltr. (Elaeocarpaceae)
M.M.J. van Balgooy
Rijksherbarium, Leyden
INTRODUCTION
between Dr Steenis and Mr C. T. The present investigation arose from a discussion van White from North collected in July 1950 concerning a plant Queensland, by Mr L. J. Aristotelia but also showed Brass. The specimen was pre-identified as an similarity with the the Papuan genus Sericolea. The need was felt to investigate the distinction between
two genera. Mr White was very keen to investigate the problem himself but this was this unfortunately prevented by his untimely death, only two weeks after discussion. The has problem rested ever since, until in 1963 I had to verify the distinction between
for work the Pacific work executed under from the two genera my on flora, a a grant the Netherlands Organisation for the Advancement of Pure Research (Z.W.O.). became it examine Aceratium I soon aware that was inevitable to the closely allied genera has also made and Vallea as well: A comparison with other Elaeocarpaceae been where it
seemed appropriate. A review is given of the value and constancy of the characters.
Diagnostic descriptions of Aristotelia and Sericolea are here presented and a key for the
distinction of the opposite-leaved Elaeocarpaceae. Finally the plant-geographical impor-
tance of the family is briefly discussed.
Thanks are due to the directors of the following herbaria for the loan of material:
Brisbane (BRI), Kew (K), Melbourne (MEL), and Utrecht (U); to Dr van Steenis for
criticism in and help preparing this paper, and to Dr Leenhouts for advice.
HISTORY AND NOMENCLATURE OF ARISTOTELIA AND SERICOLEA
first Mai. Aristotelia was described by L'Heritier from Chile in 1786 (not 1784; fide Fl. later described from I, 4, 1954, cxcvii) as a monotypic genus. Some species were New such Zealand, Tasmania, and New South Wales, sometimes under other generic names, the Friesia DC. On the other from as synonymous hand, Queensland, New Guinea, and Aristotelia of the New Hebrides species were described under which in the course all timehave been transferred to other genera.
Sericolea was founded by Schlechter in 1916 to accomodate 6 New Guinea species,
including Aristotelia gaultheria F. v. M. In the same paper he reduced Aristotelia braith-
waitei F. v. M. to Aceratium DC.
that Aristotelia It is not surprising F. v. Mueller had accomodated these species in in of the close mentioned. view relationships which exist between the three genera just
Especially as regards the Papuan plant, Von Mueller himself was not quite convinced
that Aristotelia was the correct generic disposition.
Various authors have subsequently added to the number of Sericolea species, all from of and New Guinea; many these were originally described under a wrong genus family: Hormopetalum Lauterb. 1918 (Rut.); Mischopleura Wernh. 1916 (Eric.); Pyrsonota Rial. 1916 ( Saxifr.). BLUMEA VOL. XII, No. i, 1963 80
A short nomenclatural note must be added concerning Hormopetalum and Mischo- pleura. Lauterbach (Bot. Jahrb. 55, 1918, 257) published Hormopetalum as a new genus follow belonging to the Rutaceae with reference to a fuller description to in Nova Guinea
volume 12. In the meantime he provided a key to three species (in German), a Latin
of and a German). A later description one species, added generic diagnosis (in year for Schlechter pointed out that Hormopetalum was congeneric with Sericolea, which Schmidt reason Lauterbach's publication in Nova Guinea was obviously suppressed. O. C.
the which not (1924, 152) considered Hormopetalum a nomen as well as two species were provided with a full Latin description. This is nomenclaturally erroneous, as was already pointed out by A. C. Smith (1944, 104). first in Hooker's Icones Mischopleura was published in a paper by Ridley 31 (June
of Ericaceae. The from 1916) t. 3059 as a new genus description was obviously copied and the fact that Wernham Wernham by reference to a then unpublished account, by
and Wernham's of was cited as the author of genus species. description Mischopleura
Therefore, the correct appeared two months later in Trans. Linn. Soc. Bot. 9 (1916) 99. Wernham citation is: Mischopleura in Ridley, Hook. lc. 31 (1916) t. 3059.
DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION OF CHARACTERS
General habit
between Both shrubs There is little difference in habit Aristotelia and Sericolea. are or small a of metres. Sericoleas sometimes reported as trees, rarely attaining height 10 are epiphytes but this is nothing special for undergrowth components of the dense everwet
and forest and crests.Prostrate and ericaceous growth- montane rain-forest mossy onridges forms of both occur in species genera.
Phvllotaxy in the in Together with Aceratium, Sericolea and Aristotelia are unique family having leaves. found in besides the ordi- normally opposite Occasionally specimens are which, of leaves in whorls of three. In a few species nary condition, some are subopposite or Elaeocarpus, Sloanea, and Tricuspidaria (Crinodendron) opposite, subopposite, and spiral be found and the leafarrangement may occasionally on one same plant.
Leaves
Sericolea differ number of The leaves of Aristotelia and in a points. herbaceous leaves. The only Aristotelia has as a rule long-petioled, or submembranous
has less coriaceous leaves. exception is A. fruticosa Hook. f. which short-petioled, more or coriaceous Sericolea has always short-petioled to subsessile leaves, which are either stiffly
but in or thin firmly pergamentaceous texture.
The lamina in Aristotelia is ovate to lanceolate and, A. fruticosa excepted, much larger
than Sericolea. the latter the leaves are generally smaller and are either oblong- in In genus and obtuse. The venation ovate with a long-acuminate driptip or more rarely elliptic is also of diagnostic value. Aristotelia is widely nerved, the lateral nerves looped and
thelowermost of and thicker than the others, the lamina joined; as pair nerves is opposite to the is subtriplinerved. Sericolea is densely nerved, the lateral nerves running straight foundotherwise margin. Within the family this nervationpattern is almost unique, being only in Aceratium sericoleopsis v. Balgooy from Queensland.
denticulate to serrate, entire. In both genera the leafmargins are very rarely of In leaf characters Aristotelia comes close to Vallea and to certain species Aceratium. M. M. J. VAN BALGOOY: On the delimitation between Aristotelia and Sericolea 81
Indumentum
covered have All species of Sericolea are with sericeous hairs, which a silvery or golden shine. be the older but Some species may nearly glabrous, especially on parts, some appressed hairs are always present, at least on the yong parts, on the midrib on the under- side ofthe leaf, and on the inflorescence.
Aristotelia of is patently soft-pubescent; besides, the species this genus are generally of with that of Vallea. more glabrous. The indumentum Aristotelia agrees
also Sericeous hairs are found in some species of Elaeocarpus and Aceratium. Especially some of the Australian species of Aceratium show a deceptive resemblance to Sericolea in sterile the state as pointed out in another paper (v. Balgooy 1963, 71). In general, much however, Aceratium is densely tomentose or even hispidulous, the hairs being and of reddish colour. coarser mostly a rusty or
Stipules
the should be in both Though, according to literature, stipules wanting genera, I found small filiform caducous This character to be occasionally stipules. appears taxo-
nomically unimportant in Elaeocarpaceae, as, for instance in Vallea, large reniform stipules may be present or wanting on the same plant.
Inflorescence
The and of inflorescence is in both genera axillary consists in most species a cyme, of few decussate flowers. In the flowers raceme, or thyrse some species may be solitary and in A. serrata (Forst.) Ohv. they form a compound many-flowered panicle.
Flowers
In both genera the flowers are 4—5-merous and generally hermaphrodite. Only the
two in dioecious. the New Zealandic Aristotelia species are aberrant being In a plants of the androecium the the also these only is developed, whereas in $ plants stamens but flowers the develop to various degrees, are apparently non-functional; in $ petals
are often reduced in size.
Calyx
The valvate and outside. Inside sepals are ovate, acute to obtuse, hairy they are always
in Sericolea. latter glabrous Aristotelia, minutely puberulous in most species of In the genus have less median they moreover a more or distinct, longitudinal, ridge inside.
Corolla
The aestivation of the petals is induplicate-valvate in Sericolea and slightly cochleate
Aristotelia in (not quincuncial as stated by Szyszylowicz, 1885, 447). In shape they vary
from broadly to narrowly obovate, and from nearly entire to deeply three-lobed. In most
species of Aristotelia (the only exception being A. fruticosa Hook. f. from New Zealand) the petals are thinner than in Sericolea where they are more or less fleshy. In Sericolea hairs inside the base of there is in most species a patch of at ofeach petal. The structure the corolla again links Aristotelia with Vallea, whereas the corolla type of Sericolea is otherwise
only found in Elaeocarpus bilobatus Schltr. Aceratium has a distinctly different corolla; here the petals are much larger, often fimbriate or deeply lobed, and densely hairy at the base and the The that ins'de along margin. marginal hairs are interwoven so the petals remain often firmly coherent in the lower half.
81 82 BLUMEA No. VOL. XII, i, 1963
Disk
As in all of the disk is genera Elaeocarpaceae a present. Its structure and place offer good characters between Sericolea and Also ofthe diagnostic Aristotelia. in other genera family
Sericolea with they are important for generic distinction. In it is an extrastaminal ring
thick episepalous lobes before which the stamens are inserted. Sometimes some smaller
lobes between additional disk are developed the larger ones. This type of disk is also
found in but in whereas some Elaeocarpus species that genus the disk is puberulous, in Sericolea it is always glabrous.
In Aristotelia the disk is also grown out into episepalous lobes, though less distinct;
it is insertion of besides, expanded between the the stamens and the base of the ovary.
So the stamens are rather inserted on the disk than inside it as in Sericolea. This situationis
found in a modified form in Vallea, but here the disk is flat and not lobed. With the
exception of the Tasmanian A. peduncularis (Labill.) Hook, f the disk is glabrous in Aristotelia.
Aceratium has an annular high disk, grooved but not lobed, with the stamens inserted
inside and In of is partly of partly on the disk. most species this genus the disk densely hairy.
Stamens
The and of the the two useful arrangement structure stamens in genera are very taxo- The is in of three nomically. most common arrangement groups stamens before each
sepal. The central one of these is in both genera placed nearest to the centre ofthe flower; There in Sericolea it is, moreover, larger than the outer two. are, however, a number of
The of but variations on this pattern. inner whorl episepalous stamens is always present
the number ofouter stamens may vary. They are in some cases reduced to staminodcs or
be is for the rule in Aristotelia In may completely lacking as example fruticosa. some species there inner whorl and of Sericolea may be an of episepalous stamens an outer epipetalous
one. Occasionally also extra stamens are found.
The of the stamens Vallea ofthe Sloanea stamens arrangement in is type, viz numerous of is also insertedirregularly upon the disk. In Aceratium the number stamens low, gener-
inserted in ally about 15. They are usually more or less a single whorl, partly on, partly of ofthree. inside the disk, sometimes indistinctly arranged in episepalous groups Though
of the a high number stamens is common situation in Eleaocarpus, some species have a number of in the in Sericolea and Aristotelia. small stamens arranged same way as
The filaments of Aristotelia are curved inwards and towards the anther. slightly taper
They are in all species softly pubescent. In Sericolea the filaments are filiform, straight or towards slightly sigmoid, often glabrous or only minutely puberulous and not tapering anther. Vallea has the offilament whereas has the same type as Aristotelia, Aceratium long, threadlike, strongly sigmoid filaments. Aceratium megalospermum and A. sericoleopsis
filaments I have in another have tapering as Aristotelia, as pointed out paper (v. Balgooy, 1963).
The shape of the anthers is one of the best distinguishing characters between Sericolea and Aristotelia, like in the Elaeocarpaceae in general. Aristotelia has lanceolate anthers, which far cordate at the base. Both cells dehisce by a lateral, subapical slit may reach about the downwards, to halfway anther, but they never unite across the top. In Sericolea
the anthers are mostly narrowly obovate and either emarginate or broadly truncate at the the cells dehisce slit the which the top; two by a common apical across top gives anther a bilabiate appearance at maturity; the outer lip is often larger than the innerone. In of of with in type dehiscence the anthers Aristotelia agrees Sloanea and Vallea, but M. M. J. VAN BALGOOY: On the delimitation between Aristotelia and Sericolea 83
Sloanea there is a sterile continuation of the connective beyond the apex and the slits
extend farther Vallea the anthers rather than slits. The downwards; in open by pores by found of closest type of dehiscence of Sericolea is in most the other Elaeocarpaceae, resem- blance being found with Elaeocarpus and Aceratium. But Aceratium has linear anthers,
in hispidulous at the apex, and Elaeocarpus the apex of the anthers possesses two unequal
lips, the largest of which is often protruded into an awn.
Pistil
The 2-celled Sericolea and in Aristotelia. ovary is nearly always in 3—4-celled Though rule this is I found cells in Sericolea and as a a very constant character, have occasionally 3 and 2- 5-celled ovaries in Aristotelia. In both genera the ovary is glabrous except in A.
australasica F. v. M. in which it is laxly pubescent. The short and Sericolea curved backwards the style is subulate, in sometimes at top. In of Aristoteliathe less cleft into some species style is more or deeply as many parts as there condition are ovary-cells, thus resembling the in Vallea; in others thestyle is as in Sericolea. each In both genera cell has 2 ovules. Schlechter described Sericolea as having 4 ovules
cell in I in each but the material I have seen, among which some of Schlechter's types,
always counted 2 ovules per cell only. In the Elaeocarpaceae furthermore only Vallea and of ovules some species Elaeocarpus have 2 per cell.
Vallea and Aristotelia have one descending and one ascending ovule. In this character
other they stand apart in the family, all genera having only pendulous ovules.
Fruit
As regards the fruit, Aristotelia and Sericolea stand apart in the family being the only
with all others either genera berries, having dehiscent capsules or drupes.
Seeds
The seeds provide good diagnostic characters to distinguish between the two genera.
In Aristotelia the seeds are semiglobose to ellipsoid, flattened on the side where they are each other. pressed against The testa consists of an outer fleshy tunic and an inner bony
layer which forms a thick-walled cavity at the chalazal end. The embryo which is embed-
ded in endosperm, is straight. In Sericolea the seeds are falcate or even corniculate if only The one seed develops. outer fleshy tunic is in general much thinner than in Aristotelia, inner chalazal does show the bony layer is strongly thickened at the end but not a cavity. The embryo, following the shape of the seed, is curved. of In the structure the seed Sericolea is unique among Elaeocarpaceae. Aristotelia resembles and Vallea Tricuspidaria in this respect although these have arillate seeds whereas only in
Aristotelia chilensis Stuntz A. is in literature (Mol.) (= macqui L'Her.) a strophiole present, referred often to as an aril. On the strength of this seed structure Miers (1869) proposed the latter three to unite genera in a subtribe Tricuspidarieae. But there is little reason to
a close of with the two other as will be shown suppose relationship Tricuspidaria genera, later.
in table For The characters just discussed are summarized the on page 178. comparison
the two closest allies, Aceratium and Vallea, are also included.
From this tableit can be seen that Aristotelia occupies an intermediate position between Valleaand Sericolea. with the former of It agrees in type nervation, indumentum, aestiva- tionof corolla, dehiscenceofanthers, insertion ofovules, and seed morphology; with the latter in phyllotaxy, disk, absence of aril, arrangement of stamens, and fruit. I cannot yet BLUMEA No. 84 VOL. XII, i, 1963
Vallea Aristotelia Sericolea Aceratium
Phyllotaxy alternate oppositeopposite (subopposite(subopposite opposite (subopposite opposite (subopposite)
in whorls of in whorls of or in whorls of 3) oror whorls of 3)
Leaves long- rarely short- sessile or Leaves long-petioled; ovate, long- rarely short- sessile or short-petiol- long- or short-petioled;
rounded to subcordate petioled; ovate to lan- ed; lanceolate with a mostly broad ovate
at base, subtri- ceolate, rounded or ovate or base, entire, subtri- ceolate, rounded or driptip, rarely or lanceolate, rounded
plinerved at the base, subcordate at base, ser- and blunt; rounded at sometimes cordate at
lateral subtri- lateral nerves spaced, rate or dentate, subtri- base, dentate, densely base,base, dentate, nerves as
and in in looped and joined; plinerved at the base, penninerved; coriace- Aristotelia but in one
herbaceous lateral inin herbaceous lateral nerves spaced, ous or pergamenta- Australian species as
and her-her- ceous Sericolea herbaceous looped joined; ceous ;; or
baceous, rarely coria- pergamentaceous
ceous
Indumen- pubescent to tomen- pubescent, especially on sericeous, at least onon the denselydensely hairy, mostly
the the undersurface of the and under- tum tose, atat least on the the undersurface of young partsparts and hispidulous, tomentose, venation leaves of venation on the under- leaves surface of the leaves, sericeous, or hirsute,
surface of the leaves often with reddish surface the often with a silvery or rusty or reddish golden shine
when when when small, when Stipules present large, present minute, present small, present small, reniform early caducous caducous caducous
Inflor- axillary or terminal, axillary, 1-flowered or axillary, or Inflor- axillary or terminal, axillary, 1-flowered or axillary, 1-flowered or axillary, rarely termi-
i-flowered1-flowered or in few- in few-flowered in few-flowered few-flowered sub- escences or in cymes in cymes, nal, few-flowered sub- flowered with flowered cymescymes or racemes, 1 sp. with racemes or thyrses umbellate racemes compound panicles
Sepals glabrous inside glabrous inside generallypuberulous in- generally puberulous
side, median median side, ridge pre- inside, ridge
sent, sometimes weak mostly well developed
Aestiva- cochleate cochleate induplicate-valvate induplicate-valvate
tion of
corolla
Petals membranous to obovate membranous, obovate, (1 sp. ± fleshy, broadly to nar- narrowly obovate rare-
cuneate, 3-lobed, gla- fleshy), obovate to spa- rowly obovate, cuneate, ly ovate, lobed to
brous tulate, entire the rounded tulate, to 3- apex to laciniate, densely hairy
lobed, glabrous truncate, entireentire or cre- inside and atat the mar-
nulate to 2-5-lobed, gins by which the
often inside often hairy at the petals are coherent atat
base the lower margins, cari-
nate inside
Stamens inserted in in in many, c. 40, (4-) 12-15, usually (8-) 12-15, usually (io-)i5(-2o),(io-)i5(-2o), ± a disk of of whorl sometimes irregularly on episepalous groups 3, episepalous groups of3, single sometimes inner in inner stamens always or i1 episepalous and 1 indistinctly in episepa-
all lous of insert- present, outer some- epipetalous stamen, lous groups 3, insert- times reduced ororabsent, inserted inside disk ed partly on, partly inserted disk inside disk on
Filaments curved Vallea inward, taper- as Vallea filiform, straight or ± long, filiform, usually
ing towards the anther flexuose strongly sigmoid or
coiled, in some coiled, spp. in tapering as Vallea
Anthers linear, cordate at to linear, ± cordate the lanceolate, cordate at ellipsoid to linear some- narrowly oblong to the times base, opening by 2 base, opening by 2 timesemarginate,open- linear, hispidulous at
lateral, slits a transverse the a lateral, subapical pores lateral, subapical ing by a transverse apex, openingby a apical slit transverse apical slit M. M. J. VAN BALGOOY: On the delimitation between Aristotelia and Sericolea 85
Vallea Aristotelia Sericolea Aceratium
with Disk flat,i not lobed, glabrous with weak or well with well developed high,indistinctly groov- developed episepalous episepalous lobes, gla- ed, hairy (except in
lobes, glabrousglabrous (except brous some species)
in i1 sp.)
Style cleft cleft apically oror undi- short subulate blunt, long-subulate, undivid-
vided undivided ed
Ovary 3-5-celled, glabrous (2-) 3~4"4(-5)-celled, gla- 2(-3)-celled, glabrous 2~5-celled,~5-celled, hairy, ex- in brous (except(except 1 sp.) cept some species
Ovules 2(-3) per cell, anatro- 22 perper cell, anatropous, 2 per cell,cell, anatropous, 6-14 per cell,anatropous
1 1 1 1 de- pous,] i ascending,ascending, 1 i ascending, 1 pendulous pendulous
(descending scendingscending
Fruit capsule,< globose, ± berry, soft fleshy, glo- berry, soft to hard drupe with fleshy fi- brous angular, c. 1 cm long, bose, 5-10 mm long fleshy, globose to ovoid, mesocarp firmly
with mm attached toto the warty, ± fleshy 3-7 mm long woody and 1-6 pericarp1 sublig- endocarp, cm long
ineousneous endocarp, dehis-
corni- with Seed ellipsoid,( fleshy outer ellipsoidellipsoid to globose- seeds falcate to corni- ellipsoid to ovoid thin thin layerlayer] and bony inner angular, fleshy outer culate, thin fleshyfleshy outer thin papyraceous tu- the inner and inner ione, depressed at andand bony layer, bony layer, nics, embryo straight chalazal thelatter thick- chalazal< end, embryo thethe latter forming a the latter strongly thick- straightstraight cavitycavity atat thethe chalaza, ened at the chalazal embryoembryo straight side, embryo curved Aril or aril well inin 1 a absent absent J developed i sp. a strophiolestrophiole strophiole present decide this which closer Aristotelia. The for in stage genus comes to strongest arguments close alliance between Sericolea and Aristotelia are the opposite leaves and the berry. The first is its in various of the argument weakened, however, by tendency to occur genera Elaeocarpaceae. A berry can be thought to be derived from a capsule as well as from a in drupe. The strongest argument favour of a close relationship between Vallea and Aristotelia is the insertionofthe ovules one ofwhich being descending, theother ascending, a feature that is truly unique for the family. So the between Aristotelia and Sericolea could well be agreement perhaps as explained that between Aristotelia and Vallea of a as a convergent development; is in my opinion more fundamental nature. The opposite-leaved Elaeocarpaceae can be identified with the following key. (As leaves also found of said before, occasionally opposite are in species Tricuspidaria *), Sloanea, and Elaeocarpus. Tricuspidaria can easily be recognized by its tubular, caducous calyx and capsular, angular, dehiscent fruit, Sloanea by its flat disk bearing numerous stamens with anthers dehiscing by lateral slits and by its capsular fruit, Elaeocarpus by its fruit usually numerous, awned stamens, laciniate petals, and drupaceous with pulpy mesocarp and rugulose or sulcate endocarp). * See R. P. in Sprague (Kew Bull. 1907, 10) for the use of Tricuspidaria & preference to Crinodendron Mol. 86 BLUMEA VOL. No. XII, i, 1963 KEY TO THE GENERA Fruit Aristotelia I. Anthers dehiscing by 2 subapical lateral slits. a berry Anthers I. dehiscing by one apical transverse slit. Fruit 2. Flowers large (more than 1 cm long), petals coherent at the margins. a drupe, over 1 cm long, with fibrous Aceratium mesocarp firmly adhering to the woody endocarp Fruit than Sericolea 2. Flowers small (less than 7 mm long), petals free. a berry, less 7 mm long . . ARISTOTELIA L'Heritier, Stirp. Nov. (1786) 31, t. 16. Type species: A. chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz (= A. macqui L'Her.). Shrubs branches the or small trees, terete, pubescent on young parts. Leaves opposite lanceo- or subopposite, rarely in whorls ofthree, on long (rarely short) petioles, ovate to late, serrate to dentate, subtriplinerved at the base, nerves spaced, looped and joined, and at acute angles to the midrib, pubescent beneath, especially on the venation. Stipules when caducous. in present small, early Flowers axillary, solitary, or few-flowered racemes hi dioecious. or cymes, rarely compound panicles, 4—5-merous, hermaphrodite, or plants Sepals valvate, oblong to ovate, acute or obtuse, thin-fleshy, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. Petals slightly larger than sepals, cochleate in bud, obovate, entire, crenulate or of the dioecious deeply 3-lobed, membranous, glabrous on both sides; in the 9 flowers scales. species sometimes reduced to small Disk protruded into a lobe opposite each and of sepal, moreover expanding as a ring between the insertion ofthe stamens the base the of the middle of ovary. Stamens 4—15, usually in episepalous groups three, one each group which is placed more centrally is always present, of the outer ones one or anthers both may be absent; fdaments curved inwards, pubescent, tapering distally; lanceolate, cordate at the base, opening with two subapical lateral slits. Ovary glabrous australasica Ovules except in A. F. v. M., (2—)3—4(—5)-celled. 2 per cell, anatropous, seeds. Seeds one descending, the other ascending. Fruit a berry containing 1—6 ellipsoid to semiglobose, flattened where pressed against each other, outer integument fleshy, in A. chilensis developing a short curved strophiole, the inner integument bony, forming a depression at the chalazal end where the vascular strands enter the seed; endosperm present; embryo straight. Distribution: Five species: A. chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz from Chile to Peru, A. fruticosa Hook. f. and A. serrata (Forst.) Oliv. both in New Zealand, A. peduncularis (Labill.) Hook. in Wales. f. Tasmania, and A. australasica F. v. M. in New South " Notes. Chilean is The species generally known as A. macqui (or misspelled maqui”) L'Her. L'Heritier Aristotelia described it as the only species of his new genus in 1786. Molina Chile described Cornus chilensis in his Saggio as early as 1782; there is no reason the to doubt that the same species was meant, more so as no other species of the genus known combi- is from S. America. The oldest epithet is therefore chilensis; the necessary nation in Aristotelia made but has the attention was by Stuntz in 1914, apparently escaped of many authors. The two New Zealandic species, though widely different habitually, hybridize freely dioecious. could be sub- and differ from all others in being They perhaps regarded as species. reduced and In another paper I have both Aristotelia megalosperma F. v. M. A. triloculare Aceratium Bailey to megalospermum (F. v. M.) v. Balgooy. Aristotelia papuana F. v. M. M. M. J. VAN BALGOOY: On the delimitation between Aristotelia and Sericolea 87 a there indications that the author had mind Aristotelia is nomen; are strong in gaultheria which was reduced to Sericolea gaultheria by Schlechter. SERICOLEA Schlechter, Bot. Jahrb. 54 (1916) 9J. the author I have here chosen Lectotype species: Srnce no type species was designated by this of S. micans Schltr. as lectotype, being one the best described and most typical species. Branches Small strongly branched trees or shrubs, sometimes epiphytic. terete or sericeous rarely angular. At least young parts covered by shining hairs. Leaves opposite or partly subopposite, rarely in whorls of three, shortly petioled to nearly sessile, ovate to lanceolate, long-acuminate, the apex either drawn out into a shorter or longer driptip, sericeous lanate or obtuse, margin dentate, rarely entire, coriaceous, glabrous above, to hairs the caducous beneath, rarely only some sericeous on midrib. Small filiform stipules few sometimes present. Inflorescence axillary, usually a raceme, cyme, or thyrse with decussate flowers, sometimes a few-flowered panicle, rarely flowers solitary. Flowers hermaphrodite, 4—5-merous. Sepals valvate, oblong-ovate, acuminate to obtuse, mostly coriaceous, sericeous to nearly glabrous outside, inside minutely puberulous and with less a more or distinct median longitudinal ridge. Petals induplicate-valvate hi bud, at anthesis as long as or longer than the sepals, oblong-obovate, obovate, or obdeltoid to rounded and crenulate less the elliptic, truncate to to more or lobed at top, fleshy, rarely membranous, glabrous outside, inside often with a tuft ofhairs at the base. Disk glabrous, with lobes. Stamens in of the innermost distinct episepalous episepalous groups three, central ofthe than the often one three larger outer two; outer stamens reduced in number, in some species one larger episepalous and a smaller, outer, epipetalous one; anthers linear to obovate, truncate, sometimes emarginate at apex, the two cells dehiscing by a transverse apical slit, glabrous or more often minutely puberulous. Ovary glabrous, cell. generally 2-celled, rarely 3- or even 4-celled, 2 anatropous pendent ovules per often curved the Style short, subulate, slightly back at very tip, glabrous. Fruit a globose to ovate or obovate berry, soft fleshy to nearly dry. Seeds 1—4, falcate or corniculate, and thickened with a thin fleshy outer integument a bony inner one which is strongly at its obtuse chalazal end. Embryo curved, embedded in endosperm. all Distribution: About 21 species have so far been described in Sericolea, from New Guinea; they are in need of revision. PLANT GEOGRAPHICAL REMARKS The Elaeocarpaceae are a southern Hemisphere family best developed round the Pacific Basin. Van Steenis (1962) distinguishes four main types of transpacific distribution: northern temperate and subtropical, tropical, southern subtropical, and southern temper- Three of these are found in this ate. types family. Tropical: Sloanea, represented in Australasia and America. Southern ofthree allied subtropical: a group closely genera: Tricuspidaria (S. America), Dubouzetia (New Caledonia, New Guinea, Ceram), and Peripentadenia, described by L. S. Smith (1957) from Queensland. Southern Aristotelia South temperate: (S. America, New Zealand, Tasmania, New Wales), linked to Vallea (Andean S. America from Patagonia to Venezuela) and the New Guinea Sericolea. 88 BLUMEA No. VOL. XII, I, 1963 Such wide transpacific affinities are frequently composed of two or more genera of which one has not rarely a much wider distribution than the others. Sometimes one genus of such affinity is limited to the West Pacific, the other(s) to the Americas. The smaller also be that of an A few illustrate this. area may infrageneric taxon. examples may Araucaria is represented in S. America, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Norfolk 1., Australia, and New Guinea; the species of the latter island belong to section Intermedia (White, 1947). Gevuina occurs in Chile and Argentina, Australia, and New Guinea, and has a close ally in Kermadecia: New Caledonia, New Hebrides, Fiji, and Samoa (Sleumer, 1955). the classical of this distribution an endemic Nothofagus, example type, is represented by subsection Bipartitae in New Guinea and New Caledonia (van Steenis, 1953). clear that the In all these cases it is related taxa have a common origin. Sericolea has probably likewise originated from some common ancient subantarctic stock, though not necessarily from Aristotelia. BIBLIOGRAPHY Flora ALLAN, H. H., 1961. New Zealand 1: 333 —335. M. M. BALGOOY, J. VAN, 1963. Review of the Australian Species ofAceratium. Bluinea 12: 71—77. BENTHAM, G. & J. D. HOOKER, 1862. Genera Plantarum 1: 238 —240. On Bot. MIERS, J., 1869. the Tricuspidariae .... Contr. 2: 179—190. SCHLECHTER, R., 1916. Die Elaeocarpaceen von Papuasien. Bot. Jahrb. 54: 92—155. Zur 1919. Nomenclatur der Elaeocarpaceen Gattung Sericolea. Fedde Rep. 16: 29—32. SCHMIDT, O. C., 1924. Nova Guinea 14: 152, footnote. in E. P. Pfl. Fam. 6: SCHUMANN, K., 1890. Elaeocarpaceae, & Ill, 1 —8. SKOTTSBERG, C., i960. Remarks on the Plant-geography ofthe southern Cold Temperate Zone. Proc. R. Sc. Soc. ser. B, Biol. 132: 447—457. SLEUMER, H. O., 1955. Proteaceae, in Fl. Mai. I, 5: 152, f. 2. A. Am. SMITH, C., 1944. Studies of Papuasian Plants, Elaeocarpaceae. J. Arb. 25: 104—121, 202—298. SMITH, L. S., 1957. New Species of and Notes on Queensland Plants II. Proc. R. Soc. Queensl. 68: 45. Am. STEENIS, C. G. G. J. VAN, 1953. Papuan Nothofagus. J. Arb. 31: 301—373. 1962. The Landbridge Theory in Botany. Blumea 11: 235 —372. Bot. SZYSZYLOWICS, I., 1885. Zur Systematik der Tiliaceen. Jahrb. 6: 427—457. C. of Aceratium in WHITE, T., 1932. The Occurrence Australia. Kew Bull. 1932: 42—43. Notes on Araucaria in New Guinea Am. Arb. 28: 1947- ...... J. 259.