720 PRINCIPES lVol. 13 A Synopsisof the (Palmae-Arecoideae) Hanor,oE. Moonr, Jn." L. H. Bailey Hortoriurn, Cornell Uniuersity, Ithaca, New Yorh

Recent exploration in the Solomon priately linked to the genus in epithets Islands has brought to light some inter- for two of its . esting new palms, but none more in- It is clear that the genusPhysokentia, triguing than the collections which are previously known only from three spe- described herein as speciesoI Physolcen- cies in the Fiji Islands and the New tia and, variously referred to as nxa,nu- Hebrides, is as abundantly represented silae or gara,gala in the Kwara'ae in the Solomons as in those islands, and dialect. I first became acquainted with that the circumscription of the genus the genus, quite unknowingly, on the must be somewhatbroadened to include Bogotu Peninsula of Santa Ysabel. species with ruminate endosperm and There, Dr. T. C. Whitmore and I saw with less sharply angled endocarp and sterile which are still unknown seed than the species in Fiji and the botanically for lack of fertile material. New Hebrides. So emended, the genus Later, I saw specimensof P. insolita at remains discrete but with a close re- Honiara which I then, and subsequently lationship to and.Cypho- at Ithaca, thought to represent an un- sperffLa from and to described genusbecause of the sculptured Taueunia from Fiji. All four genera endocarpand seedswith ruminate endo- possessin common an unusual type of sperm. More recent acquisitions from lower bract or prophyll, which is open Mr. G. F. C. Dennis, Forest Department, abaxially in bud and incompletely en- Honiara, Dr. T. C. Whitmore, now at circles the peduncle of the inflorescence the Forest Research Institute, Kepong, at the point of insertion, as well as un- Selangor, Malaysia, and from the Royal usual endocarp and seed, Society Expedition to the Solomon Is- The unifying characteristics oI Physo- lands, however, have required a review kentia are the probable unvarying pres- of the Melanesianclinostigmatoid palms ence of stilt roots (roots not known in with angled or sculptured endocarp and P. Tete) " the characteristic indument of seed and a reconsideration of the rela- pinnae,the horizontal,short-pedunculate, tionship oI P. insolira. What we now stiffly branched in{lorescences, the know of Physolcentin in the Solomons prominent, mostly acute bracts sub- is largely due to the efforts of the afore- tending the triads of flowers, the low, mentioned men whose names are appro- membranous, never sepal-like bracteoles surrounding the pistillate flower. the *From work relating to National Science asymmetric staminate flowers with Foundation grants GB-I354 and GB-3528. I am also indebted to the John Simon Guggen- slender pistillode shorter than the sta- heim Memorial Foundation for the opportunity mens in bud, the globose or subglobose to study and photograph types in 1955-56 and fruit with variously angled and sculp- to Prof. Alberto Chiarugi, the late Director ol tured endocarp and seed,and the exocarp the Istituto Botanico at Firenze, for permission to remove fragments of Physokentia Tete for smooth,not granulose-roughened.in the later study. dried state. 19691 MOORE:PHYSOKENTIA 721

Burretiokentin, Cyphosperma, and and closely related genera which I main- Physolcentia seem clearly derived from tain at present) . Taaeunia differs strik- a common stock, yet each has evolved ingly from the above three in structure along different lines, and I am not in- of the inflorescence. The genera may be clined at presentto unite them (a paral- separatedas follows: lel instance is to be seen in Clinostigma

1. Inflorescenoe interfoliar, long-pedunculate, the peduncle longer than the rachis, the bracts marcescent; leaf-sheathssplit opposite the petiole, not forming a prominent crownshaft; staminate flowers slightly asymmetric, the pistillode columnar, slightly expanded apically, nearly as long as the stamens in bud; pistillate flower surrounded by 2 sepal-like bracteoles; fruit with excentrically apical stigmatic residue, the exocarp drying densely granulose-roughened;stilt roots lacking. Fiji Islands (2 spp.) Taueunia L lnflorescence infrafoliar, short-pedunculate,the peduncle shorter than the rachis, the bracts caducousat anthesis; leaf-sheathstubular, forming a prominent crown- shaft; flowers, bracteolesofruit and roots various. 2. Staminate flowers essentially symmetric, the pistillode thick, columnar, longer than the stamens in bud, expanded into a broadly capitate apex, anthers with locules continuous; bracteoles surrounding the pistillate flower sepal-like; fruit globosewith stigmatic residue lateral in upper third, the exocarp drying densely granulose-roughened,mesocarp not readily separable from the very intricately and rugosely sculptured endocarp; stilt roots not present. New Caledonia (2 rpp.) _ Cyphosperrna 2. Staminate flowers slightly to markedly asymmetric, the pistillode elongate- conic to angled-columnar,shorter than the stamensin bud, not broadly capi- tate; bracteoles,fruit, endocarp,and roots various. 3. Fruit regular and ovoid or globose or somewhat irregular when fresh, sometimes becoming shouldered and angled when dry, the surface densely granulose-roughenedwhen dry; nnesocarpnot readily separatedfrom the stony, intricately sculptured,A-S-angledendocarp with an abaxial (dorsal) groove flanked by 2 ridges; bracteoles surrounding the pistillate flower sepal-like; anthers with locules not continuous but interrupted by sterile, connective-likeareas; adventitious roots often present at base of trunk but prominent stilt roots not developed.New Caledonia (2 .pp.) _ Burretiokentia 3. Fruit globose or subglobosewhen fresh, sometimescollapsing and drying wrinkled but not granulose-roughened;mesocarp with a shining inner layer adjacentto and readily separatedfrom the endocarp; endocarpsharply 4-angled to variously ridged and sculptured but always with an abaxial (dorsal) ridge; bracteolessurrounding the pistillate flowers very narrow, rarely (P. Dennisii) with a slender processbut never sepal-like; locules of anthers continuousl stilt roots prominent (P. Tete?). Fiji Islands, New Hebrides, Solomon Islands (6 rpp.) _- Physokentin

Some of the unifying characteristics dom is complete material collected. The and some of the distinctions drawn congenitally open lower bract or prophyll above call attention to the importance is of especial interest since, apart from of ,the inflorescence as a unit, including the distantly related Rauenea, it occurs, the primary peduncular bracts, yet sel- so far as I am aware, only among cer- T22 PRINCIPES lVoi. 13 tain genera of the advanced clinostig- margins, and with (1- ) mostly 2-7 matoid palms (the above plus Campe- primary nerves, densely brown-lepidote c&rpus, , Basselinia, and or -puncticulate at least on the nerves perhaps a few other genera of New Cale- below, the primary and secondarynerves donia) all of which are endemic to clothed below with conspicuous,basi- Melanesia. Certainly this type of bract fixed or medifixed, irregularly linear is suggestive,when consideredwith other to spatulate,brown, membranousscales. criteria, of a common ancestry for these Inflorescences infrafoliar, solitary in four genera. It might be argued that at the leaf axils but I-6 borne on a least those genera with irregular endo- at the same time, horizontal, paniculately carp and seed should be united under branched; bracts 2, inserted near the the oldest generic name-Cyphospertna. base, the lower (prophyll) open abax- This, it seemsto me, obscures the man- ially in bud, not completely encircling ner in which and extent to which these the peduncle at insertion, shorter than genera have diverged. Nor does it serve the upper, with ancipitous margins, the any practical purpose, especially since upper bract terete and enclosing the in- there are adequate criteria for distin- florescencein bud, more or less rostrate, guishing the genera in inflorescence, completely encircling the peduncle at flower. and fruit" and since there are insertion, splitting abaxially, both bracts vegetative differences, less easily ex- caducous at anthesis; peduncle short; pressedin words, which distinguish each rachis with ca. 12-20 branches, the in the field. lower branches once- or twice-branched into branches of the second or third Physokentio Beccari, Le Palme della order, the central and upper branches Nuova Caledonia 37. 10 Dec. 1920 successivelyfurcate to simple; rachillae fWebbia 5:I05. Aug. 1921] notnen, somewhatflexuous, more or less angled, et in Martelli, Atti Soc.Tosc. Sci. Nat. bearing triads of 2 staminateand a pis- Pisa,Mem. 44:152 freprint 4l].1934. tillate flower in the lower one-third or Lectotype: P. Tete (Beccari) Beccari more and paired to solitary staminate (vide Burret, Bishop Mus. Occ.Papers flowers distally, or sometimes the in- | | (4) :11. 1935 and Pichi-Sermolli, florescence essentially staminate with Webbia ll:I29. 1955) few or no pistillate flowers and all the Goniospenna Burret, Bishop Mus. flowers then paired to solitary, a cluster Occ. Papers I I (4) :10. 1935. of hairs often present on the axis in the Type: G. uitiense Burret. slight depressionabove the triad; bracts subtending the triads prominent, rounded Solitary, unarmed, monoeciouspalms to acute, often reflexed; bracteoles with prominent leaf scars on trunk; stilt roots prominently developed, often of the flowers narrow, membranous, branched basally. rounded or rarely (P. Dennisii) pto- Leaves reduplicately pinnate, spread- duced into a slender ligular process, ing-ascending; sheaths tubular, form- glabrous to white-barbate at the upper ing a prominent crownshaft; petiole margin of the triad or pair. short to nearly lacking; pinnae stiffly Flowers white to red: staminate horizontal, falcately acute (rarely prae- flowers briefly pedicellate,more or less morse? cL P. Tete), numerous, regu- asymmetric;sepals 3, imbricate, acutish; larly arranged, and with a single primary petals3, valvate,asymmetric; stamens6, nerve and decurved margins, or few, the filaments distinct, strap-shaped.flat, irregularly arranged, without decun'ed prominently inflexed at the apex in bud; 7969) MOORE:PHYSOKENTIA r23

anthers oblong-linear, basifixed, versa- variously angled or ridged and sculp- tile, the locules continuous, not inter- tured, always with a prominent adaxial rupted by a sterile connective-like areal (ventral) keel and a sharp to obtuse pistillode elongate-conic and briefly abaxial (dorsal) ridge, operculate;seed trifid at the apex when fresh, angled- shaped like the endocarp; raphe- columnar with angled or slightly ex- branches horizontal from the elongate panded apex when dry: pistillate hilum, loosely anastomosing dorsally; flowers sessile;sepals 3, broadly imbri- endosperm homogeneousor ruminate; cate; petals broadly imbricate with embryo basal. briefly valvate apices; staminodes 3, Distribution: rain forests at low to dentiform, on one side of the ovary; high elevationsin the Fiji Islands, New pistil ovoid, with short recurved stig- Heb.ides. and Solomon Islands. mas, ovary unilocular, uniovulate, the I have endeavored to suggest rela_ ovule hemitropous, laterally attached the donships to some extent in thJ"following length of the locule. k"y u.ri in the arrangement of species, Fruit globose or subglobosewith ex- though by no means are relationships centrically apical stigmatic residue, red . linear nor is it clear in what direction or olacK at maturrty;'bJ;;;;;;il- exocarp smoolh directions evolutionarv processes or drying wrinkled :t ,o,rghlnei; mesocarp fleshy,;ith f;; have worked' Physokentia rosed' P' flat-fibers, ,rrrr.r"ror,i,pale' or colored Tlt'urstonii and P- Whitrnorei do appear sclerosomes,and a smooth inner sur- more closely related to each other than face against and readily separatedfrom to remaining speciesjudging from pres- the endocarp; endocarp thin or thick, ent evidence. Key fo fhe species of Physokenfio l.Fruit red at maturity, the mesocarpwith numerous red or blackish sclerosomes; seed with ruminate endosperm; pinnae few, usually with several to many primary nerves.Solomon Islands: New Georgia Group, Guadalcanal. 6. P. insolita l. Fruit black, purple-black,or (P. Dennisii) orange-redat maturity, the mesocarp with numerous pale sclerosomes;seed with homogeneousendosperm; pinnae numerous, usually with a single primary nerve. 2.Fruitmaturingorange-red,ca. 1.5 cm. high, 1.1 cm. in diam.; endocarpca.L.2 cm. high, I.1 cm. wide, 1.0 cm. thick, rounded on margins and back, only ob- scurely and obtusely A-angled, the operculum rounded; inflorescence much ramified, the lower branches divided into rachillae of the third order to 45 cm. long; bracts subtendingthe triads rounded or at most acutish; bracteoles surrounding the pistillate flower produced in a prominent, slender, ligular process exceeding the bract of the triad, neither bracteoles nor staminate pedicels conspicuously white-barbate, though occasionally with a few whitish or brownish hairs; leaves of mature plants with petiole scarcely evirlent or extremely short. Solomon Islands: Guadalcanal. -- 5. P. Dennisii 2. Fruit maturing black or purple-black; endocarp with 4-5 sharp angles, the operculum rounded to 4-angled; inflorescence less ramified, the lower branches divided into rachillae of the second order to 35 cm. long or less or rarely, through forking, into rachillae of the third order; bracts subtendingthe triads prominently acute; bracteolessurrounding the pistillate flower rounded, narrow, not produced in a ligular process,the bracteoles and staminate pedicels glabrous to white-barbate;leaves of mature plants distinctly petiolate. t24 PRINCIPES [Vol. 13

3. Fruit 2.5-2.6 cm. high, 2.3 cm. in diam.; endocarp reticulate-roughened, becoming prominently rugose on each side of the adaxial keel, 2.4 cm. high, 2.I cm. wide and thick, with prominent adaxial keel and sharp abaxial keel, the sides with 2 ridges, the apex more or less rounded, the operculum rounded-angled;rachillae in bud and at anthesisbearing conspicuous,white, medifixed, substellateor fimbriate scales; bracteolesand staminatepedicels essentially glabrous or, if with a few hairs, then not conspicuously white- barbate on upper margins; pinnae praemorse (?). New Hebrides: Banks Group; Vanua Lava. -,------1. P. Tete 3. Fruii2.3 cm. high or less; endocarp neither markedly reticulate-roughened nor rugose,sharply 4-angled; rachillae, etc. various. 4. Staminate flowers with rose-red petals, red-black sepals, pistillate buds with red-black sepals,wine-red petals; inflorescenceaxes deep rose; fruit L.4-I.6 cm. in diam., 1.6-1.7 cm. high when dry; endocarp 1.5 cm. high, I.4 cm. wide, 1.3 cm. thick; bracteolesand pedicelsof staminateflowers glabrous or with a few brownish hairs but not white-barbate.Fiji Islands: Viti Levu. . 2. P. rosea 4. Staminate and pistillate flowers white or at most pink-{lushed on white or ivory coloredrachillae; fruit 2.0-2.1 cm. in diam. or lesswhen dry, 2.3 cm. high or less; bracteolesand margins of staminatepedicels conspicuously white-barbateon upper margin of triad at anthesis. 5. Endocarp ca.2.I cm. high, I.7 cm. wide, 1.6 cm. thick, sharply -angled, the abaxial keel pronouncedand sharply curved downward and upward to the sharply pointed adaxial keel, the operculum 4-angled; sepals of staminate and pistillate flowers with a prominent dark membranous margin when dry. Fiji Islands: Vanua Levu, Taveuni. -- 3. P.Thurstonii 5. Endocarp ca. L.7 cm. high, 1.5 cm. wide and thick, 4-angled with apex rounded to the adaxial keel, the operculum rounded; sepals of staminate and pistillate flowers lacking a prominent dark margin when dry. Solomon Islands: San Cristobal. ------4. P. Whitmorei

1. Physokentio Tele (Beccari) Bec- prominent, brown, basifixed, membra- cari in Martelli, Atti Soc.Tosc. Sci. nous scales. Nat. Pisa, Mem. 44:153 [reprint Inflorescence short-pedunculate, 421. Le34. (Fig. 2A.) broader than long, the axes with rather Cyphosperm,a? Tete Beccari, Webbia dense, substellate, brownish or white 3:137.1910. scalesin bud, glabrous in fruit; upper bract brown, very thin; rachis angled, Trunk 6-7 cm. in diam. sinuous, with more than 7 branches; Leavesprobably regularly pinnate ; cen- lower branches again branched intb tral pinnae lanceolate-sigmoid,obliquely flexuous rachillae of the second ord€r truncate and praemorse-toothedat the to 15 cm. long, upper branches furcate apex(?), ca. 60 cm. long, 5.5-6 cm. or simple; bracts subtending the triafls mid- wide, with a prominent elevated prominent, acute; bracteoles surround- nerve and a prominent secondarynerve ing the pistillate flowers very narrow, on each side, dull greenabove, the lower not conspicuously white-barbate on the surface somewhat paler with minutely upper margins. puncticulate nerves, the midnerve and 2 Staminate flowers ovoid, somewhat prominent lateral nervesalso with rather asymmetric and angled by mutual pres- t9691 MOORE:PHYSOKENTIA I25

r- (a, -Physokentia rosed i-o) and P. Thurstonii (b-h, p-v): a, portion of rachilla and triad with flowers removed x 2; b, portions of raclilla with paired staminate {lowers 2; y \ c, staminate bud 4; d, staminate bud in vertical section \ 4; e, staminate sepals a 4; {, staminate petal, interior view \ 4; g, stamens in three views ;4; h'-pistillodef4; i, pistillate budx4; i, pistillate buJ in vertical sectiony4; k, pistillate sepals N 4; l, pistillate bud with iepars removed x 4; m, pistillate petal, interior view, and staminode ^x.4i n, pistil and staminodes X 4; o, staminodes y 4; p, rruit.y 1; q, perianth in fruit, exieiior view- X t; r, fruii ln vertical .""tlo" i ri s, fruit in cross-se,ction ; l; t, endocarp,-ad_axialview i l; u, operculum X t;-;, ;""; in four views 1. (a, i-o X from Moori'& Koroiueibaug\6g;'b-L,ssai; i-u,iSSJ; "lt preserved in liquid iBHl.)

sure, 5.5-6 mm. long, 3 mm. wide; ial keel, operculum rounded-angled; sepals with strongly ciliolate margins I seed shaped as the endocarp, 1.7 cm. petals 2-3 times as long as the sepals; high, 1.4-1.5 cm. wide and across: pistillode columnar, very slightly en- endosperm homogeneous. larged at the apex, nearly as long as the Vernacular name: tete. stamensin bud: pistillate flowers ovoid- Specimensexamined. NEW HEBRI- conic in bud. DES, BANKS GROUP: Valu.t Lav.r"; Fruit globose, 2.5-2.6 cm. high, 2.8 1000 m., A, E. Harland (FI, type; BH, cm. in diam., with excentrically apical photosand {ragments). stigmatic residue, smooth when dry; The type of Physokentia Tete consists mesocarpfleshy, with few fibers; endo- of a fruiting panicle, an inflorescence carp thick, slightly woody, 2.4 cm. high, in bud, and two unattachedpinnae. The 2.I cm. wide and across,with prominent pinnae appear to be praemorseat lhe (ventral) adaxial keel.prominent abax- apex, as describedby Beccari and noted (dorsal) ial keel,and 2 prominent ridges by myself when I examined the type. on each side, the surface rough and be- With further experience, I tto* *o.rd", coming rugose on each side of the adax- whether the pinnae are truly praemorse 126 PRINCIPES [Vol. 13

@ @ ffi W I ffi ffi j @ @ *,@. m" 2, Endocarps of species of Physokentia: A, P. Tete from fragment o{ type [BHJ ; B, P. Thurstonii ftom Moore & Koroiaeibau 9353 tBHl ; C, P. Whitmorei lrom type; D, P. rosea from type; Ee P. 19691 MOORE:PHYSOKENTIA t27

or merely appear so becauseof fraying, Inflorescences glabrous, rose-red in a not infrequent occurrence but not de- bud, becoming green in fruit, as many terminable from the photographs. New as 6 below the crownshaft, often 2 at collections are required before a com- successivenodes separatedfrom the next plete description can be provided, yet pair by severalsterile nodes,horizontal, the speciesis abundantly distinct in the stiffly branched, the lower branches characteristics of the endocarp alone. again branched; bracts rose-pink shad- ing to white basally; peduncle 6-8.5 Moore, 2. Physokentio roseq H. E. cm. long;.rachis to 16.5cm. long; lower lO:90. L966. (Figs. 1, Principes branches divided into 4-6 simple or 2D.) rarely lurcate rachillaeto 24 cm. long. Stem solitary, ca. 4 m. high, 10 cm. upper branches furcate to simple, the in diam. above roots, 7.5 cm. in diam. ultimate rachillae to 19 cm. long, angled at crown, from a cone of stout, prickly, and somewhat flexuous to markedly basally branched stilt roots ca. I m. flexuous apically; triads borne to about long, green, leaf scars prominent. the middle of the rachilla or less with Leaves ca. 9, stiffly spreading to paired or solitary staminateflowers dis- ascending; crownshaft ca. 47.5 cm. tally, the triads and staminatepairs sub- long, thickened below the petiole, olive- tended by an acute bract; bracteoleslow, green outside, rose-pink inside, with rounded, membranous,glabrous or with floccose,brown-centered, pale-margined a few brownish hairs, not conspicu- scales where protected or brown-punc- ously barbate. ticulate in age; petiole ca.22.5 cm. long, Staminate flowers 4-5 mm. long, densely and minutely lepidote at least briefly pedicellate with flat glabrous when young with brown-centered, pale- pedicels; sepalsto 2 mm. long, deepred- margined, membranous or fimbriate, black, with membranous, often ciliolate medifixed scales; rachis with scalessimi- margins; petals 4-5 mm. long, rose-red, lar to those of the petiole, ca. L.22 m. pistillode about two-thirds as high as long; pinnae ca. 35 on each side of the anthers in bud, briefly trifid at apex: rachis at regular intervals, the margins pistillate flowers 5 mm. long in bud; strongly decurved in life, the prominent sepals 3 mm. long, strongly imbricate, midnerve minutely lepidote or becoming red-black, rounded, with membranous, brown-puncticulate above, the midnerve, often ciliolate margins; petals deep 4-5 secondary nerves, tertiary nerves, vinous red, ca. 5 mm. long; pistil ovoid. and margins all brown-puncticulate be- Fruit reddish-green,probably becom- low, the midnerve with larger, brown, ing blackish, globose, I.9 cm. in diam. membranous, basifixed to medifixed, when fresh, drying ca. I.6-L7 cm. irregularly linear scales to 5 mm. long high, 1.<1"-1.6cm. in diam.; endocarp on lower surface, basal pinnae ca. 27 light brown, ca. 1.3-1.5 cm. high, 1.2- cm. long, 9 mm. wide, central pinnae 1.4 cm. wide, I.2-1.3 cm. thick, sharply ca.67 cm.long, 4 cm. wide, apical pinnae 4-angled and keeled, with a partial ca. 16 cm. long, 6 mm. wide. ridge on each side of the abaxial (dor-

Dennisii from type; F, P. insolita, heavily sculptured form fuom Whitm.ore 6079 lBHl1' G, P. insolita from type. (a, lateral view; b, adaxial or ventral view; c, abaxial or dorsal view; d, top view; e, operculum; all X 1.) 128 PRINCIPES tVol. 13 sal) keel, the operculum more or less inside; petiole L7.5-37.5 cm. long, angled; seed1.2 cm. high, 1.1 cm. wide, rounded and densely covered with small 1.0 cm. thick when fresh, shaped like the scales having a brown center and pale, endocarp; endospermhomogeneous, em- fimbriate, interlocking margins, or at bryo basal. length merely densely puncticulate with Vernacular name. tangand'anu (Su- persistent scale centers below, concave batu dialect) fide Degener. and glabrous above; rachis 1.25-L.7 m. Specimensexamined. FIJI ISLANDS: long, densely covered when young with VI:rr Lrvu; Province Ra (formerly scaleslike those of the petiole or in age 'Iholo North) : Vuninatambua, Navai, puncticulate; pinnae 23-27 on'each side 750-900 m. alt., O. Degen'er 14792 (4, of the rachis, regularly arranged in one K) ; in forest, vicinity of Nandarivatu, plane, stiffly horizontal with strongly de- 750-900 m. alt., Mar.26,I94l, O. Dege- curved margins in life, dark green above, ner 14893 (A, K) ; ridge' from Mt. Na- lighter green below, glabrous above ex- mama (eastof Nandarivatu) toward Mt. cept for the brown-puncticulate promi- Tomanivi (Mt. Victoria), 1050-1120 m. nent midnerve and minute brown scales alt., 18 Aug.1947, A. C. Smith 5700 (4, at the base, brown-puncticulate below on K) ; vicinity of Nadarivatu, mossy cloud all nerves, but the midnerve, 2-3 second- forest on upper slopes and ridges from ary nerves on each side, and the mar- Mt. Lomalangi beyond second peak in eins also with deciduous white floccose easterly direction, 2 May 1964, H. E. scalesat first, and with persistent, large, Moore, Ir. & D. Korofueibau 9363 (BH, irregularly linear, brown, membranous, holotype; SUVA isotype). basifixed or medifixed scales,basal pin- nae narrow, 2040 crr'. long, 3-6 mm. Physokentio Thursfonii (Beccari) 3. wide, central pinnae 5G-75 cm. long, Beccari in Martelli, Atti Soc. Tosc. 4-6 cm. wide, apical pinnae 2G*40 cm. Sci. Nat. Pisa Mem. 44t154 fre- long, I.B-2.2 (-B) cm. wide, thesesome- print 431. 1934. (Figs. 1, 2B.) times with several primary nerves, Cyphosperrna ? Thurstonii Beccari, Inflorescences I-3 on an individual, Webbia 4:272. I9I4. in various stagesof flower or fruit, hori- Goniosp.rma Thurstonii (Beccari) zontal with more or less pendulous Burret, Bishop Mus. Occ. Papers I t (4) :12. 1935. whitish rachillae in flower but stiffish Coniosperrna aitiense Burret, Bishop and green in fruit, provided with sub- persistent, minute, substellateor lacerate Mus. Occ.Papers | | ( ) :11. 1935. scales at least on major axes, but the Stems solitary, to 7 m. high, I0 cm. rachillae often glabrous; lower bract in in diam., bright green when young, dark bud ca. L7 cm, long, upper bract thin, green in age, with prominent leaf scars white-floccosein bud, ca. 19 cm. long; and with brown, prickly, sometimes rachis 22-35 branched stilt roots in an open cone to peduncle 5-B cm. long; cm. 2 m. high. long with I2-L4 branches; lower Leaves 6-9, ascending-spreading; branches once-branched.the central and crownshaft 45-55 cm. long, olive-green upper furcate to simple, the ultimate to dark green, with brown or gray- rachillae 9-20 cm. long, bearing triads brown, floccose, medifixed, small scales more than half their length or sometimes forming a dense cover where protected the infloresoence entirely or essentially or merely brown-puncticulate with per- staminate with few or no pistillate sistent scale centers where exposed,pink flowers; triads and paired staminate t96el MOORE:PHYSOKENTIA r29 flowers subtended by acute bracts more ridges and ravines on upper slopesof Mt. or less reflexed, especially distally on Mariko on trail from Bucalevu Village to the rachilla; bracteoles narrow, mem- summit, 2000-2800 ft. alt., 17 April branous, the upper margins and stami- 1964,H. E. Moore, Ir. & D. Koroiueibau nate pedicels brownish- or whitish- 9347 (BH, SUVA); Thakaundrove, barbate. Mount Mariko, alt. 600-866 m., 14 Nov. Flowers white or with a pinkish cast: 1933, A. C. Smith 417 (GH, isotype of staminateflowers 5-6 mm. long; sepals Goniosperma uitiense). T.wnurvr; alt. ca.2 mm.long, not nervedbut with dark, 2300 ft., 17 April 1882, Thurston s. n. entire, membranous, ciliolate margin (K, type) ; by streamleton steepslopes when dry; petalsca. 5 mm. long, nerved below crest of mountain on trail from or not nerved when dry and with a slight Somosomoto crater lake, 23 April 1964, glaucous cast; pistillode angled-colum- H. E. Moore. Ir. & D. Koroiueibau nar, about two-thirds as high as stamens esss(BH, SUVA). in bud: pistillate buds ca. 4.5 mm. high; The genus Goniosperma was erected sepals 3 mm. long, broadly imbricate, by Burret to include two species,G. al- not nerved, with brown, membranous, tiense and G. Thurstonil, which are entire, ciliolate margin when dry, in fruit united here under Physokentin. The type ca. 3 mm. high, 6 mm. wide, and lobed; ol P. Thurstozll consistsonly of endo- petals ca. 4 mm. high, with brown mem- carps and seedscollected without definite branousmargins ciliolatetoward base,in locality on Taveuni, while the type of fruit 6 mm. high, 7-B mm. wide, lobed, Coniospermauitiense was a more ample more or less prominently nerved toward collection,including foliage, flowers and base. fruit. I have collectedPhysok'entia Thur- 'Fruit subglobose, purplish-black at stonii at rvhat is probably the type lo- maturity, with excentrically apical stig- cality and at the type locality for matic residue, ca. 2.3 cm. high, 2-2.I Goniosperma uitiense on Vanua Levu. cm, in diam. when dry; mesocarp As Burret suggested,there is no specific fleshy, white, with few flat fibers and difference: in eachlocality P. Thurstonii numerous pale sclerosomes;endocarp is associatedwith two other clinostig- thick, dark, very sharply 4-angled with matoid palms-Clinostigma exorrhiza prominent adaxial (ventral) keel, ab- (H. Wendland) Beccari ex Martelli and axial (dorsal) and lateral crests,2.1 cm. Taaeunia trichospad'ix Burret-in the high, 1.8 cm. wide, 1.6 cm. thick, the rain forests of slopesand ridges at high surface smooth, operculum angled; seed elevations. Nor can Goniosperrna stand shaped like endocarp, (14- ) 17 mm. as a genus apart from Physokentia when high, 15 mm. wide, (9- ) 13 mm. thick, the present spread of speciesis consid- brown, with prominent raphe-branches ered. horizontal from the adaxial keel and Whitmorei H. E. loosely anastomosing dorsally, endo- 4. Physokentio Moore, sp.noa. (Fig. 2C.) sperm homogeneous;embryo basal. Vernacular name: niuniu. Folia regulariter pinnata pinnis utrin- Specimensexamined. FIJI ISLANDS: que numerosisaeutis uninervibus. Inflor- VANUA.Lnvu; rain forests on slopes of escentiaduplo-ramosa rachillis ad 33 cm. Drayton Peak [Mount Mariko], on trail longis, bracteolis floris foeminei angus- betweenMbiugunu and Korosi, about 15 tis, apice rotundatis.Fructus ater, globo- miles from Savu-Savu,2000-2500 ft. alt., sus, 2.3 cm. altus, 2.0 cm. in diam., 1962, D. W. Bierhorst F-134 (BH); endocarpio 17 mm. alto, 15 mm. in 130 PRINCIPES tVol. 13

diam., crasso,acute -angulato. long, 1.4 cm. wide at apex; rachis IB cm. Trunk solitary, to 6 m. high, with stilt long to last branch, bearing 9 subdisti- roots to 1.5 m. high. chouslyarranged branches including the Leaves 5-6, suberect; sheaths green, terminal; lower few branchesagain sub- tinged grey, forming a crownshaft 6-9 distichously branched into ca. 6 simple dm. high, covered,when young or where or rarely furcate rachillae to 28 cm. protected,with a dense,continuous mat long, the upper simple, to ca. 33 cm. of small, brown-centered,floccose-mar- long in fruit, all more or less angled or gined,peltate scales or becomingdensely even flexuous at anthesis and terminat- brown-puncticulatewith persistentscale- ing in a brief spinosetip; triads in the basesin age or where exposed; petiole lower half or more of the rachillae, dis- ca. 26 cm. long, densely covered above tally with paired or solitary staminate and below with shining, irregularly and flowers, each triad subtendedby a prom- narrowly membranous-margined,brown, inent acute bract 2 (-3) mm. long; peltate scales; rachis with a densecover bracteoles membranous, narrow, white- of scalessimilar to those of the petiole barbate on the upper margins as are the or often with a broader, paler, lacerate- brief staminatepedicels. fimbriate margin; pinnae regularly ar- Staminate flowers 4-5 mm. long, some- ranged, the number on each side of the what asymmetric,more or less rounded rachis not noted, the central ca. 57 cm. at the apex in bud; sepals indistinctly long, 5 cm. wide, narrowed basally to an nerved when dry, broadly imbricate, insertion 1.5 cm. wide and to an acute rounded to acutish, ca. 2.5 mm. high, apex, but this sometimes broken or 3 mm. wide, the margins more or less frayed, glabrous aboveexcept the promi- ciliolate; petals nerved when dry, val- nent, elevated, brown-puncticulate mid- vate, ca. 5 mm, long, 3-4 mm. wide; nerve and minute scattered puncticula- pistillode as long as the filaments,angled- tions on some lesser nerves, below columnar, 3-angled at apex: pistillate densely and minutely brown-lepidote on flowers in bud, 3-4 mm. long, the peri- the midnerve, on 3 rather prominent anth in fruit of sepals 3.5-4 mm. long, secondarynerves on each side, and on 5-6 mm. wide and petals 6 mm. long, numerous tertiary nerves, the midnerve 9 mm. wide, both, and especially petals, and secondarynerves also bearing prom- rather strongly nerved. inent, dull brown, membranous, irregu- Fruit olive maturing black, globose larly linear, medifixed or basifixed when still incompletely mature, with ex- scalesto ca. 3 mm, long near the base centrically apical stigmatic residue, 2.3 or nearly throughout their length, apical cm. high, 2 cm. in diam.; exocarp and subapicalpinnae similar but smaller, smooth; mesocarpthin with longitudinal (15-25 cm. long, 1.8-2 cm. wide) with fibers, not collapsingwhen dried; endo- usually 2 secondary nerves on each side, carp thick, 17 mm. high, 15 mm. wide the lowermost pinnae ca. 32 cm. long, and thick, 4-angled with beaked ridge 1.5 cm. wide, long-attenuate,probably on adaxial (hilar) side lower than continuing into a rein or lora when first rounded-angled apex, operculum expanded. rounded; seednot sufficiently developed Inflorescenceca. 5.5 dm. long from to describe. baseto apex,glabrous; bracts apparently Vernacular namei nla,nusilae in the glabrous (from a very young inflores- Kwara'ae dialect. cence obviously from within a leaf- Specimens examined. BRITISH SOL- sheath and molded); peduncle B cm. OMON ISLANDS PROTECTORATE: 19691 MOORE:PHYSOKENTIA 131

S.q.NCnlsroe,lr- (rasr) ; 4 miles E. of scales or densely brown-puncticulate Wainoni, headwatersof Huni R., ultra- with persistent scale centers in age or basic outcrop, broad ridge top, 1600- where exposed; petiole elongate on ju- 1700 ft. altitude, 10 August 1965, T. C. venile plants but lacking or very short Whitmore R S S 6309 (BH, holotype; K, on mature trees (scarcely 2 cm. long) ; isotype). rachis ca. 1.8 m. long, densely covered Physolcentia Whitmorei is the only above and below with minute, shin- species thus far known from the Solo- ing, brown, laciniate-fimbriate-margined, mon Islands that shows an immediate membranous, peltate scales or merely and clear resemblance to species from brown-puncticulate where exposed or Fiji and the New Hebrides. The sharply weathered; pinnae 22-25 on each side angled endocarp, white'barbate brac- of the rachis, regularly arranged, the teoles of the triads, and the pinnae are central onesca. 78 cm. long, 7 cm. wide very similar to those of P. Thurstonii. at middle, tapered basally to an inser- Though the seeds had not develoPed tion ca. 1cm. wide; upper margin sufficiently to provide information on longer than the lower and straight, the endosperm, it may be anticipated that lower narrowed toward the acute apex; the endospermwill be homogeneous. both surfaces more or less densely lepi- The epithet is but a faint tribute to dote or puncticulate with minute, pale- the devotion which Dr. Whitmore has membranous-margined,brown-centered, lavished on the flora of the Solomon peltate scales or their persistent centers, Islands and to the unfailing assistance midrib prominent and elevated on upper he has provided me during and after surface, with scattered floccose scales, field work in the Solomons. the lower surface with prominent mid- nerve and 3-4 secondary nerves clothed 5. PhysokentioDennisii H. E. Moore, with scattered, dull brown, irregularly sp.noo. (Fig. 2E.) linear, medifixed or basifixed, mem- Folia regulariter pinnata pinnis branousscales 2-3 mm. long; apical and utrinque 22-25 acutis uninervibus. In- subapical pinnae shorter and narrower, florescentia triplo-ramosa rachillis ad 24-32 cm. long, I.7-2'5 cm. wide, the 45 cm. longis, bracteolis floris foeminei tips often frayed and appearing prae- angustis, subiter in apicem angustum morse; lower pinnae conspicuouslynar- productis. Fructus aurantiaco-ruber, rowed and shortened toward base of subglobosus,15 mm. altus, 10-II mm' rachis, the lowermost only ca. 15 cm. in diam., endocarpio 12 mm. alto, 10 long, 5 mm. wide. mm. in diam., fragili, 4-angulato, carinis Inflorescence greenish-ivory, ca. 9 dorsalibus et lateralibus obtusis, semi- dm. long from baseto apex,paniculately nis endospermiohomogeneo. three-times branched, glabrous; bracts Trunk solitary, to 10.5 m. high, with not seen; peduncle 15 cm. long, 2 cm. a densemass of 100 or more stilt roots wide at apex; rachis ca. 26 cm. long to Lo L2 m. high, some roots branched, last branch, bearing ca. L7 branches, the upper portion of trunk light green, the lower branch ca. 45 cm. long, again with short internodes. twice-branched basally, simply branched Leaves spreading; crownshaft bright apically into ca. 9 branches, the rachillae greyish-green,ca. 9 dm. long, consider- slender, elongate,to ca, 45 cm. long, 3 ably broader at base than at apex, cov- mm. in diam., upper branches progres- ered when young or where protected sively less branched to furcate or simple. with a dense indument of floccose Flowers in triads to beyond the middle t32 PRINCIPES IVol. 13 of the rachillae,paired to solitary stami- headwatersof Tenaru River, path from nate distally, or some inflorescences Honiara to Betilonga Village, in forest Iargelyor entirelystaminate; triads sub- over limestone,alt. ca. 1200 ft., 31 May tended by a prominent rounded bract 1964,E. l. H. Corner & T. C. Whitmore often deflexed in fruit, the bracteoles B S I P 4391 (Us,paratype). surrounding the pistillate flowers mem- Physokentia Dennisii is distinctive in branous, narrowly rounded and usually several respects.The much ramified in- produced in a prominent narrow ligular florescencewith branchesof three orders process exceeding the bract, the brac- to 45 c-m. long is unlike that of the re- teoles and pedicels glabrous or with maining species, all of which have sparse short brownish or whitish hairs, branches only to the second order ex- not conspicuouslywhite-barbate: stami- cept for rare instances of furcation in nate flowers white, asymmetric, more second order rachillae. The small fruits or less rounded at the apex in bud, 4-5 ripen orange-red(fide Corner and Whit- mm. long; sepalsca. 2 mrl;..high, 2.5-3 more) rather than black as in remain- mm. wide, more or less rounded with ing species with homogeneous endo- ciliolate margins, indistinctly nerved sperm and the endocarp is much less when dry, the outer often slightly keeled; sharply angled than in other species petals ca. 4 mm. long,2-2.5 mm. wide, except P. insolita. Bracteolessurround- asymmetric, rather distinctly nerved ing the pistillate flowers are especially when dry; pistillode angled-columnar striking in their ligular apices.Although with angled apex, ca. two-thirds as long possessedof a fruit in the size range of as the stamensin bud: pistillate flowers P. roseafrom Fiji, P. Dennisii does not in bud ca. 4 mm. high, the perianth in seem especially related to that species. fruit of 3 sepals 3-3.5 mm. high and rather in its red fruit, endocarp with often 3-lobed (entire and rounded in obtuse angles, and homogeneousendo- bud), of 3 petalsca. 6 mm. high. sperm it stands midway between P. rz- Fruit subglobose, ripening orange- solita on the one hand, the remaining red, ca. 15 mm. high, 11 mm. wide, 10 specieson the other. mm. thick, (from preserved material) The epithet pays tribute to the persist- with excentrically apical stigmatic resi- ent efforts of Mr. Geoffrey F. C. Den- due, drying wrinkled; exocarp smooth; nis, Forest Department, Honiara, to mesocarp with a layer of sclerosomes obtain essential material of this and immediately under the exocarp and few other speciesof palms, and more than thin fibers in thin flesh; endocarpfrag- that to the assistanceso readily offered ile, 4-angled,12 mm. high, l0 mm. wide during and since the writer's brief field and thick, sharply keeled on the adaxial experiencein the Solomonsduring 1964. (hilar) side and operculateat the base, The presentspecies was then encountered rounded-angledabaxially; seednot per- sterile at its type locality when Mr. Den- fectly mature, shaped essentially as en- nis, Dr. and Mrs. Whitmore, and Mr. docarp; endosperm homogeneous. James Tedder, District Commissioner Vernacular name: gqlagara in the of the Central District, with his wife ac- Kwara'ae dialect. companied the writer on a Sunday ex- Specimensexamined. BRITISH SOL- cursion. OMON ISLANDS PROTECTORATE: Inflorescence bracts are not described Guarar,cawl.r, (wonrn) ; headwaters of in detail. The following excerpt from a the Matiniko'o River, Il April 1965, letter dated April 12, 1965-describing G. F. C. Dennis s. n. (BH, holotype); Mr. Dennis'sattempt to carry back alone 19691 MOORE:PHYSOKENTIA s IJD

- n ii :1 -"

*fl:'1 '&it.&' i3,'t,I

3. Physokentia insolita: a, portion of rachilla with triad X 2; tt, abnormal triad o{ two pistillate {lowers and one staminate {lower X 2; c, triad with flowers removed to sdow bract and bracteoles X2; d, portion o{ rachilla at pistillate anthesis X 2; e, staminate flower X 4; f, staminate {lower in vertical section X 4; g, staminate calyx, exterior view, and individual sepals \ 4; h, staminate petal, interior view X 4; i, stamens X4; j, pistillode X 4; k, pistillate flower t 4; l, pistillate flower in vertical section y 4; m, pistillate calyx X 4; n, pistillate sepals X 4; o, pistillate petals )( 4; p, pistil and staminodes in bud X 4; q, stigmas N B; r, fruit)(2; s, {ruit in vertical section X 2; t, endocarp showing adaxial keel v.2; t, seed in cross'section X2; v, seed in three views X 2. (From material oI Whitmore 4095 preserved in a1- cohol lBHl.)

specimensof the palm from what I know Although only two collections from to be an exhausting journey-provides the vicinity of Honiara are explicitly more detail: cited, it appears likely that the species also occurs near Mt. Gallego, for the "I also collected a flower sheath, following Royal Society Expedition col- which un{ortunately got lost in mY lection, though lacking fruit, agreeswell struggle through the long grass on in other details with the type and para' the ridges on my homeward trip, type: Monitor Creek, headwaters, T but from what I recall it was an ivory miles inland below Mt. Gallego, 2000 stightly green-tinted colour (as are ft. alt., 6 July 1965, T. C. Whitmore the new flower panicles-flowers be- /i s s 6050(BH). ing white) 18 inches 7ong, 3 I/2 insolitq H. E. Moore, inches wide, of a very flimsy soft 6. Physokentio sp.nou. (Figs.2F, G, 3, 4.) texture, the baseof it having a ragged edge where it has broken loose from Folia irregulariter pinnata pinnis the base of the crownshaft." utrinque 5-6 acutis 5-B-nervibus. In' IJ+ PRINCIPES lVol. 13

4, Physokentia insolita: a, mature plant; b, young plant with less dissected leaves and longer petioles; c, base o{ mature plant; d, infructescence; e, stilt roots; f, inflorescence at staminate anrhesis. (Photographs of plants at type locality by T. C. Whitmore [BH].) florescentia duplo-ramosa rachillis ad Stem solitary, slender,to 15 m. high, 40 cm. longis, bracteolis floris foeminei I7.5 cm. in diam., light brown or grey angustis,apice rotundatis. Fructusruber, and smooth near the base with promi- globosus,ll-12 mm. altus, l0-ll mm. nent leaf-scars and internodes 7.5-15 in diam., endocarpio 10-12 mm. alto, cm. long, green toward apex where in- 9-Il mm. in'diam., fragili, carina dor- ternodes are shorter, with sometimes sali obtusa, carinis lateralibus utrinque ribbed stilt roots to 15 dm. high, 2.5-5 2-3 indistinctis, seminis endospermio cm. in diam., with spread of ca. 45 cm. ruminato, at ground. r%91 MOORE:PHYSOKENTIA r35

Leaves ca. B, spreading at maturity; branches with small, lacerate-fimbriate, crownshaft4.5-6 dm. long, fawn-colored whitish, dark-centered scales at least from densecoat of pale brown floccose at anthesisl rachillae bearing triads scalesw-ith pale centers where protected nearly to the apex, these subtended by or olive-green and pale-puncticulate prominent rounded to usually acute where exposed, the old sheaths purple bracts, bracteolesvery narrow and in- within; petiole slender 8-37.5 cm. long, conspicuous, glabrous or, as also the I.3-I.5 cm. wide at apex, denselydark- staminate pedicels, minutely hairy but brown-lepidote or -puncticulate on the not prominently white-barbate. rounded lower surface,similarly lepidote Flowers cream-coloredin bud: stam' on the channelled upper surface, the inate flowers asymmetric, 5.5-7 mm. scales membranous-margined; rachis long when dry; sepalsca. 2 mm. long, 1.5-1.8 m. long (I.77 m. in type) with narrow, acutish, somewhat keeled dor- scales similar to those of the petiole; sally, ciliolate along the margins, not blade little or irregularly divided on or very inconspicuously nerved when each side into 2-3 very broad, many- dry; petalsca.5-6 mm. long, 2.5-3 mm. nerved pinnae in younger plants or with wide, rather conspicuously nerved when 4-6 mostly broad pinnae on each side dry; pistillode conic when fresh, angled- in mature individuals bearing flowers columnar when dry, with angled apex, and fruits; pinnae (on one entire leaf ca. one-third as high as stamensin bud: of type) 5 per side, from base to apex pistillate buds ca. 2.5-3 mm. high, the with respectively 6, 6, 7, 5, B primary perianth in fruit with sepals 2.5 mm. nerves or a total of 32 per side for the long and often lobed (entire, rounded- entire blade, (1.5-) 12-38 cm. wide at acute and ciliolate along the margins insertion, 43-l0B cm. long on upper in bud), petals 4 mm. high, 4.5 mm. margin, 6.5-13 cm. wide at about wide, prominently ciliolate along the middle, falcately narrowed to an acute margins. apex, but this sometimes broken or Fiuit red at maturity, globose, with frayed and appearing praemorse, sec- excentrically apical stigmatic residue, ondary nerves 2-4 between each pri- 11-13 mm. high, 10-13 mm. in diam.; mary nerve, both surfaces and all nerves mesocarpwith numerousred sclerosomes rather densely darkJepidote with mi' in fleshy tissue and some flattened nute pale-marginedscales, the primary curved fibers; endocarp 10-12 mm. nerves with prominent, red-brown, ir' high, 10-1I mm. wide, 9-10 mm. thick regularly linear, membranous, medi- with acute adaxial (hilar) keel, rounded fixed or basifixed scales toward the abaxial (dorsal) keel, rounded apex, base on the lower surface, 2-3 indistinct rounded partial ridges Inflorescences1-B on an individual and shallow to marked depressions on plant, spreading, paniculately twice- each side, the operculum rounded; seed branched, whitish at anthesis,to more ca. &-9 mm. high, broad, and thick, than 6 dm. long and wide; lower pe- brown, irregularly sculptured and duncular bract thin, ca. 35 cm. long, rounded in conformity with the endo- briefly pointed, glabrous; peduncle6-10 carp, raphe-branchesca. 5 per side from cm. long, I.3-2.2 cm. wide at apex; the ventral hilar keel, lateral and anasto- rachis 9-22 cm. to last branch, bearing mosing dorsally toward base; endo- 9-10 branches, the lower of these once- sperm ruminate; embryo basal. branched, the upper furcate to simple Vernacular r,arr'ei tnanusilae or some' and to ca. 40 cm. lons. rachis and times garagara in Kwara'ae dialect. PRINCIPES [Vol. 13

Specimensexamined. BRITISH SOL- withheld pending receipt and study of OMON ISLANDS PROTECTORATE: Physokentia Dennisii, for the last spe- Nrw GBoncrA GRoup, Kor-oiuelrtclRA cies is intermediate between P. insolita Isrmm; east coast, L I/2 miles inland, on the one hand and previously de- ca. 200 ft. alt., 16 April L964, T. C. scribed species on the other. Lacking Whitmore B S I P 4095 (BH, holotype: mature fruit, there seems nothing in HON, US, isotypes); west coast,Merusu the inflorescence or flowers to differenti- Cove, hillside, ca. 200 ft. alt., 14 Feb. ate P. insolita generically and the foli- 1963, T. C. Whitmore B S I P 1438 age, though unusual in the broad pinnae (HON, LAE, US); inland from Iri iri and generally short petiole, is ap- Village (Merusu Cove) , wet gully forest proachedby that of P. Dennisii. at 2500 ft. alt., 28 Sept.L963,7. C. Vhit- The material from low elevations on more B S I P 2102 (HON, LAE, US). Kolombangara Island and New Georgia Nnw GponcIA (N.W.) : near Jela, hill- seems to agree well, though fruit is side,250 ft. alt., SMay 1964,A. W. Cou)- mostly immature. Dr. Whitmore writes: "common meadowB S I P 37J2 (HON, US) ; Ho- to abundant on W'est Kolom- voro, valley bottom, 500 ft. alt., 2 Sept. bangara as a pretty undergrowth palm L964, Cowmead,ow'sCollectors B S I P from ca. 500 ft. to ca. 1000 {t. alt.; it 3774 (HON,US). Gu.trn cANAL(N.w.) ; does not grow down to sea-level."Two head of ridge E. of Hidden Valley, Mt. collections from higher elevations on Gallego, alt. ca. 2000 ft. (but ranging Guadalcanal are referred here with some from ca. 1700ft. to ca. 3000 ft. on moun- question. The {ruit is slightly larger (13 tain into mist forest area),17 Sept.1966, mm. high, 12-13 mm. in diam.) than G. F. C. Dennis B S I P 4,648 (US); Mt. in the type (tl-12 mm. high, 10-11 Gallego,western ridge, 2500-3000 ft., 7 mm. in diam.) and the endocarpis more July 1965, T. C. Whitmore RS S 6079 prominently sculptured (Fig. 2F). Ma- (BH,K). ture flowers have not been available and Physolcentia insolita (insolitus-un- the discernible dif{erences are not of usual, strange) is, for the genus,an un- a magnitude that lends conviction to usual species.When I first saw material separate description. More extensive col- of it at Honiara and later when I studied lecting and field study may ultimately the type in Ithaca, I thought it to rep- show associations of differences amons resent an undescribed genus. The com- plants of different islands or islanJ bination of shapeof staminatepistillode, groups or simply a continuum of varia- sculpturedendocarp and seed,red fruit, tion. The presence oL a Physokentia on red sclerosomes in the mesocarp, and Santa Ysabel noted previously (Moore ruminate endosperm seemed not to fit & Whitmore 9307) and.perhaps of this with any other taxon in the clinostigma- relationship suggests that we have yet toid alliance. much to learn about the eenus in the It was fortunate that publication was Solomons.