Astelia subg. Collospermum (Skottsb.) Birch 2015

Birch, Joanne L., 2015, A revision of infrageneric classification in Astelia Banks & Sol. ex R. Br. (Asteliaceae), PhytoKeys 52, pp. 105-132 : 111

Astelia subg. Collospermum (Skottsb.) Birch stat. nov.

Basionym: Collospermum Skottsb., Kongl. Svenska Vetensk. Acad. Handl. Ser. 3, 14(2): 72. 1934. Type: Collospermum hastatum (Colenso) Skottsb. [Lectotypified by Moore and Edgar (1976)].

Note.

Open growth form; leaves linear or ensiform with dark coloration at base and peltate branched hairs; inflorescences bearing many flowers; flowers with a long perianth tube (1.3-3.1 mm); staminate flowers with long filaments (3.8-8.6 mm), anthers basifixed, immobile; pistillate flowers with long outer tepals (1.5-6.2 × 0.9-1.6 mm); ovary trilocular, intermediate length (2.1-4.8 mm); fruit globose or obpyriform, with few to many seeds per fruit (1-22); seeds ellipsoid or ovoid, small and narrow (1.3-2.1 × 0.1-1.1 mm); funicle short, truncate, with well-developed mucilaginous funicular hairs that adhere to the seed.

Remarks.

Species published under Collospermum must be transferred as Astelia has nomenclatural priority. Synapomorphies recognized for the genus Collospermum ( Skottsberg 1934) remain valid for Astelia subg. Collospermum .

Included species and distribution.

New Zealand: Astelia hastata Colenso, Astelia microsperma Colenso pro parte. Republic of Fiji, Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Kandavu; Republic of Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, Tanna, Aneityum: Astelia montana Seem. Independent State of Samoa, Savai’i, Upolu: Astelia samoense (Skottsb.) Birch.

Habitat.

Lowland temperate forest ( Astelia hastata and Astelia microsperma ) and montane tropical cloud forest ( Astelia montana and Astelia samoense ).