Bergera crenulata (Turcz.) F.J.Mou, 2023

Mou, Feng-Juan, Hu, Xiu, Ha, Bui Thu & Cuong, Nguyen Manh, 2023, Taxonomic revision of Bergera J. Koenig ex L. (Rutaceae) based on the molecular phylogeny and morphology, European Journal of Taxonomy 860, pp. 141-180 : 151-155

Bergera crenulata (Turcz.) F.J.Mou , comb. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77314668-1

Fig. 4

Glycosmis crenulata Turcz. , Bulletin de la Société impériale des aturaliste de Moscou 31: 250 ( Turczaninow 1858). – Clausena crenulata (Turcz.) F.Muell., Contributions to Phytography of New Hebrides and Loyalty Islands, from Mr. F.A. Campbell’s collections: 7 ( Müller 1873). – Chalcas crenulata (Turcz.) Tanaka , Bulletin de la Société botanique de France, Paris 75 (4): 710 ( Tanaka 1928). – Murraya crenulata (Turcz.) Oliv. , Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society 5 (2): 29 ( Oliver 1861). – Type: SINGAPORE ( PHILIPPINES?) • Th. Lobb 469; holotype: KW [ KW001000633 ] image !.

Micromelum coriaceum Seem. , Flora Vitiensis 1: 32 ( Seemann 1865). – Type: NEW CALEDONIA • Isle of Pines ; 1774; Capt. J. Cook s.n.; holotype: BM [ BM001015581 ] image !.

Clausena worcesteri Merr. , The Philippine Journal of Science 5 (3): 180 ( Merrill 1910). – Type: PHILIPPINES • Luzon , Cagayan, Apiao, near Tauit; 1 Aug. 1909; D. C. Worcester Bur. Sci. 10743; holotype: US[US00101712] image!; isotype: B [ B100296007 ] image !.

Micromelum globosum Elmer ex Tanaka , Bulletin de la Société botanique de France 75 (4): 710 ( Tanaka 1928), in synonymy.

Micromelum sorsogonense Elmer ex Tanaka , Journal of the Society of Tropical Agriculture 1: 30 ( Tanaka 1929), in synonymy.

Murraya sorsogonensis Elmer ex Tanaka, Transactions of the Natural History Society of Formosa 22: 423 ( Tanaka 1932), in synonymy.

Clausena smyrelliana P.I.Forst. , Austrobaileya 5 (4): 716 ( Forster 2000), syn. nov. – Type: AUSTRALIA • Queensland, Wide Bay pastoral district, Sawmill road, Dundowran-Craignish , Oceanpark Estate ; 25°16′40″ S, 152°44′50″ E; 15 m a.s.l.; 8 Nov. 1999; P. I. Forster PIF25182; holotype: BRI [ BRIAQ0642676 ] 2 sheets, images!; isotypes: A n.v., K [ K000717902 ] image!, L [ L.4166717] image!, MEL [ MEL2290585 ] image!, A [ A009937355 ] image !.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the leaves with crenulate margins.

Material examined

AUSTRALIA • Queensland; 8 Nov. 1999; P. I. Forster PIF25182; BRI image!, K image!, MEL image!, A image !.

CHINA • Taiwan , Taitung, Lanyü; 14 Aug. 1962; C. E. Chang 3203; TAI image!, L image ! • 12 Jul. 1970; M. T. Kao 7668; TAI image !.

INDONESIA • Sulawesi, Menado ; Mar. 1895; S. H. Koorders 18776 b; L image !.

LAOS • Mar. 1932; E. Poilane 20505; P image !.

NEW CALEDONIA • G. Petit 189; P image ! • 1774; C. J. Cook s.n.; BM image ! • Nouméa ; Jun. 1871; B. Balansa 3055; P image ! • Oct. 1906; I. Franc 557; P image ! • Mar. 1914; I. Franc 1543 a; P image ! • Oct. 1923; C. T. White 2136; P image ! • Nouméa , Ile des Pins; Nov. 1966; A. Nothis 307; P image ! • Magenta ; Jan. 1956; H. S. MacKee 3784; P image ! • Bosquets des environs de Nouméa; Oct. 1868; B. Balansa 560; P image ! • Dec. 1868; B. Balansa 763; P image ! • Nouméa , dans les bosquets près du littoral; Jun. 1869; B. Balansa 1786; P image ! • Lifou , Képénéhé; Oct. 1925; A. U. Däniker 2233; P image ! • 1927; C. Bergeret 40; P image ! • Plateau de Lifou ; Jan. 1966; M. Schmid 1072; P image ! • Ouvéa , St Gabriel; Sep. 1925; A. U. Däniker 2153; P image ! • Kanala ; E. Deplanche 8, 9, 10, 11; P image ! • 1861; E. Deplanche 437; P image ! • Anse Vata ; Oct. 1902; A. J. Le Rat 29 bis; P image ! • Nov. 1902; A. J. Le Rat 70; P image ! • Calédonie et Ile des Pins; J. Pancher 714, 5501; P image ! • Maré , Netsche; Nov. 1911; K. F. Sarasin 497; P image ! • Balade ; E. Vieillard 286, 311; P image !.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA • New Guinea ; Jan. 1862; M. Pancher s.n.; L image ! • Jan. 1969; H. Streimann & A. Kairo NGF 39173; L image ! • Milne Bay, Modewa, Modewa Bay ; Dec. 1956; L. J. Brass 28878 ; US image! • Magenta , low rocky headland; Jan. 1965; H. S. MacKee 3784; L image ! • Central District, Port Moresby Sub-district, near Vanapa River ; Mar. 1972; J. S. Womersley NGF 43911; L image !.

PHILIPPINES • Nov. 1929; G. Edano 78547; SYS ! • May 1930; M. Ramos 80390; SYS!. – Mindoro • May 1953; H. C. Conklin PNH 17589 ; L image ! • Pinamalayan ; Jun. 1922; M. Ramos BS 41027; L image! – Luzon • 1855; H. Cuming 1355; L image!, G image!, C image!, MO image ! • Jun. 1917; A.D. E. Elmer 17779; L image ! • Benguet; May 1914; E. D. Merrill 1797; L image ! • Laguna, Mt. Maquiling ; Aug. 1914; A. Villamil, Forestry Bureau 21989; US image ! • Los Baños (Mt. Maquiling); Jun. 1917; A.D. E. Elmer 17945; K image ! • A.D. E. Elmer 18084; L image!, K image ! • A.D. E. Elmer18322; L image!, K image!, US image ! • Central Luzon ; A. Loher 1353; US image !.

SOLOMON ISLANDS • Maisua ; Jan. 1933; J. H. L. Waterhouse 848 B; L image ! • Rennell , North Lavangu Village; May 1969; I. H. Gafui et al. BSIP 14946 ; L image !.

VANUATU • Erromango , Dillon Bay; Jun. 1928; S. F. Kajewski 374; US image ! • Aneityum Island , Anelgauhat Bay, the New Hebrides; Feb. 19219; S. F. Kajewski 789; US image !.

VIETNAM • Apr. 1922; E. Poilane 2944; P image !.

Description

Small trees, 4 m high. Branchlets and leaves are glabrous; stems bark blackish brown, glabrous. Leaves are pinnate, 20–30 cm long, 5–11-foliolate, leaflets alternate; leaflet blades thick chartaceous, ovate-elliptic, 5–10 × 2.0– 4.5 cm, strongly inequilateral, base obtuse and oblique, apex acuminate, margin more or less crenulate, semi-coriaceous, shining above, black after drying; midrib prominent, glabrous, venation inconspicuous, oil gland conspicuous, dense, oil gland on leaf margin with no hairy; petiolules ca 4–9 mm long, glabrous. Cymes are terminal, pubescent, 7–10 cm, many-flowered; pedicels 5–6 mm long. Flower buds are long oblong; calyxes cupulate, puberulent, 5-lobed, broad and rounded, and often imbricate and ciliate on margin; peduncle slender, tomentose; petals 5, oblong, glabrous, 6–7 mm long, 1.5–2.0 mm broad, striated, with obscure black dots, revolute after open. Stamens are glabrous, 10, 5 longer alternating with 5 shorter, the longer filaments 5 mm long, very sharp pointed at the apex; anthers globose. Pistils are nearly as long as the filaments; ovaries glabrous, cylindric, ca 1.5 mm long; styles stout, cylindric, with hairs upper, and basal portion often persistent in fruits; stigmas globose. Berries are broadly ovoid to subglobose and minutely apiculate, yellow when mature, 6–7 mm long, densely covered with oil glands.

Phenology

Flowering between May and July, while fruiting from August to January next year.

Distribution and habitat

China (Taiwan), Philippines (Luzon, Leyte), Indonesia (Java, Sulawesi), New Caledonia, New Guinea Vanuatu, SW Pacific Islands, northeastern Australia (Queensland), Solomon Islands, Vietnam and Laos..

Remarks

The species Bergera crenulata is allied to B. koenigii , but has fewer, thicker, and larger leaflets, attached to a glabrous instead of a pubescent rachis. The fruit is subglobose and minutely apiculate, whereas in B. koenigii it is short-ellipsoid and apiculate. Meanwhile, B. crenulata is often confused with Clausena anisum-olens Merr. and Micromelum minutum var. curranii (Elmer) Tanaka in the field, but it has longer flower buds and longer pistils, which are never found in Clausena or Micromelum .

In Vanuatu, the fruits are considered edible. The whole plant is also used in folk medicine (Mota Lava, Banks Islands, and north of Vanuatu). In New Caledonia, maceration of the plant is used against migraines and headaches (Lifou Island). The crushed leaves have a very pleasant and characteristic smell; the vernacular name in Lifou means ‘scent like honey’. The flowers are worn by traditional dancers to leave a pleasant smell in Anatom, the southernmost island of Vanuatu, and in the past the leaves were used for the confection of scented costumes for men in Maré Island, New Caledonia. On Ouvéa Island ( New Caledonia), a mixture of Murraya crenulata bark and grated coconut is used as a shampoo ( Hnawia et al. 2007).

Figures

Fig. 4. Bergera crenulata (Turcz.) F.J.Mou comb. nov. A. Stem.B. Leaves. C. Inflorescence. D. Flowers. E–F. Fruit. Photos taken by Chuang His in Taiwan, China.