Beilschmiedia scortechinii Gamble

de kok, R. P. J., 2016, A revision of Beilschmiedia (Lauraceae) of Peninsular Malaysia, Blumea 61 (2), pp. 147-164 : 161-162

16. Beilschmiedia scortechinii Gamble — Map 7

Beilschmiedia scortechinii Gamble (1910) 148; Ridl. (1924) 84; Kosterm. (1964) 148; Kochummen (1989) 120; I.M. Turner (1995) 276. — Type (selected here): Scortechini 483 ( lectotype K [K000768672] and picture at KEP; iso-lectotypes BM [BM000799355], K [K000768673], P 2 sheets [P00745516,P00745517]),[Peninsular Malaysia], Perak, at Caulfield’s Hill.

Trees up to 10 m tall. Twigs slender, 3–4 mm diam, round to flattened in cross-section, velutinous, (light) brown; terminal leaf buds lanceolate, 4.1–6.2 mm long,velutinous;hairs short,straight to curly, erect to appressed, (reddish) brown. Leaves alternate, blades elliptic to lanceolate or obovate, 6–18 by 2.3–6.2 cm, leathery; apex acute, sometimes with a distinct point; base cuneate, sometimes unequal; margins flat to recurved; secondary veins 4–13 pairs, tertiary veins scalariform; upper surface velutinous when young, glabrescent, midrib sunken, velutinous when young, later glabrescent, secondary veins raised or inconspicuous, tertiary veins not distinct; lower surface sparsely hairy to velutinous, midrib raised, secondary veins raised, tertiary veins distinct. Petiole 9–24 mm long, slender to slightly swollen, half terete, velutinous. Inflorescence 24–110 mm long, not enclosed at base by bracts, velutinous to densely hairy; bracteoles lanceolate to orbicular, 1.4–1.5 by 1.4 mm, caducous. Flowers yellow, velutinous in bud, later almost glabrescent; perianth tube c. 1 mm long; perianth lobes elliptic to oblong, 1.9–2.5 by 1–1.3 mm, apices acute to rounded. Stamens 9, 1–1.8 mm long. Ovary c. 1 mm diam, sparsely hairy; style c. 0.8 mm long. Fruit unknown.

Distribution — Endemic to Peninsular Malaysia: Perak and Terengganu.

Ecology — Growing in hill and montane forest, at 1200–1375 m altitude.

IUCN Conservation Assessment — Endangered (EN B2 ab (ii,iii)) . This species is endemic to the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia and is known from only three collections, two from the1880s from Perak and one relatively recent one (1968) from Terengganu. Both areas have gone through a major period of logging and general modification of the landscape since these collections were made. An analysis of the EOO and the AOO both gives an assessment of Endangered. Therefore, it is proposed as Endangered here .

Phenology — Flowering: April; fruiting time unknown.

Notes — This species was recognised as distinct by Ridley (1924) and Kostermans (1964), but was placed into the synonymy of B. madang by Kochummen (1989: 120). It is superficially similar to B. madang , but differs by having narrower leaves ( 3–12 cm wide in B. madang vs 2.3–6.2 cm wide in B. scortechinii ) and among the Peninsular Malaysian Beilschmiedia species it has the unique character of a hairy ovary. In the original description, two different Scortechini gatherings were mentioned: Scortechini 483 & 493, both from Perak, at Caulfield’s Hill ( Gamble 1910: 148). I could not find any specimens of the later gathering, whereas there are two sheets of the first gathering at K, one at BM and two at P. One of these two K specimens is accompanied by a card with a number of dissected flowers glued to it and with some notes and drawings and a signature by Gamble. This specimen is selected here as the lectotype.

Figures

Map 7 Distribution of Beilschmiedia scortechinii (●) and B. wallichiana (▲). Map based on a map provided by d-maps.com.