Drepananthus novoguineensis, I.M.Turner & Utteridge, 2017

Turner, Ian M. & Utteridge, Timothy M. A., 2017, Annonaceae in the Western Pacific: geographic patterns and four new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 339, pp. 1-44 : 15-16

Drepananthus novoguineensis (Baker f.) I.M.Turner & Utteridge comb. nov.

urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77164170-1

Basionym: Cyathocalyx novoguineensis Baker f., Journal of Botany 61 (Suppl.): 3 ( Baker 1923). – Type: New Guinea, Sogeri Region, [Mt Gawada], 1885–1886, H. O. Forbes 544 (holo-: BM000546903; iso-: BRI-AQ0210735, FI007547, K, L0037905, SING0026209).

Cyathocalyx obtusifolius var. angustifolius Baker f., Journal of Botany 61 (Suppl.): 3 ( Baker 1923). – Type: New Guinea, Sogeri Region, 1885–1886, H. O. Forbes 661 (holo-: BM000608827; iso-: MEL578174).

Regional distribution

Solomon Archipelago (BSIP 5260, BSIP 16178, BSIP 3642, BSIP 15156).

Notes

In their paper confirming the phylogenetic separation of Drepananthus from Cyathocalyx, Surveswaran et al. (2010) considered Cyathocalyx novoguineensis as a synonym of Drepananthus petiolatus (Diels) Survesw. & R.M.K.Saunders. In our opinion these two taxa can be distinguished. The petal blades are generally much shorter in Drepananthus petiolatus (to 1 cm long compared to at least 6 cm in Cyathocalyx novoguineensis from New Guinea), more strictly linear rather than long tapering, and glabrescent vs densely pale hairy. Drepananthus petiolatus appears to be a highland species and Cyathocalyx novoguineensis a lowland one, though there may be some overlap in altitudinal ranges. However, there is no indication that the different morphologies are simply an effect of altitude. We therefore make a new combination here for Cyathocalyx novoguineensis in Drepananthus .

There is a species of Drepananthus widely collected in the Melanesian Solomon Islands. Morphologically the specimens are similar to Drepananthus novoguineensis (Baker f.) I.M.Turner & Utteridge comb. nov. The specimens seen have shorter petal blades than the New Guinea material (to 2 cm long vs up to 6 cm) and they are less densely hairy, but otherwise flower and fruit forms are congruous. We therefore include this Solomon Islands’ material in Drepananthus novoguineensis (Baker f.) I.M.Turner & Utteridge comb. nov.