d. Hydnophytum virgatum Valeton

Hydnophytum virgatum Valeton (1927) 143. — Types: Ledermann 11646, 11701, 11849 (B not seen, presumed lost), Papua New Guinea,East Sepik Province, Schrader Mountains.

Description taken from Valeton (1927): “ Tuber small, singlestemmed? Branches long and slender, little branched, bark thick, black, branches sharply tetragonal, newest branches flattened (internodes 60 by 2–4 mm). Stipules minute, ovate. Leaves short-petiolate (3–6 mm); lamina narrow-lanceolate (5–9 by 1.5–2 cm), base and apex attenuate-acute, rigid subcoriaceous, olive-green when dry, midrib prominent below, sunken above, remainder veinless. Flowers in cushion-like or tuberculate, sessile, minute aggregations. Bracts inconspicuous, glabrous. Calyx glabrous, short, disc overtopping it. Corolla tube about twice as long as calyx (3.5 mm overall), petals spreading and recurved a little from tube. From throat to insertion of anthers densely hairy, these shortly erect above, exserted from throat, spreading below.Anthers exserted, anthers and filaments equally long. Submature drupes oblong-ovate (4 mm), calyx coronate. Pyrenes ovoid, 3.5 by 1.75 mm, flattened, abaxial surface convex; apex obtuse; base rounded.”

Ecology & Habitat — Forest, at 2 070 m.

Distribution — Papua New Guinea, Schrader Mts.

Note — We have not seen the specimens mentioned by Valeton, and have been unable to satisfactorily understand this species. In its narrow leaves and sessile inflorescence, it matches H. stenophyllum, another little known species.