Aglaia haplophylla A.C.Sm.
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Authority
Smith, Albert C. 1952. Studies of Pacific Island plants, X. The Meliaceae of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 30: 469-522.
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Family
Meliaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type in the herbarium of the Arnold Arboretum, collected in dense forest on the ridge between Mt. Nanggaranambuluta [Lomalangi] and Mt. Namama, east of Nandarivatu, Province of Mba, Viti Levu, Fiji, alt 1,050-1,120 m., Aug. 18, 1947, by A. C. Smith (No. 5683), Duplicate at US.
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Description
Latin Diagnosis - Arbor parva foliis sliuplicibus petiolatis basi obtusis vel acutis, indumento copioso partum novellarum et inflorescentiae compactae lepidoto distinguitur; indumento A, axillaris A. vitiensi et A. gracili similis, foliis simplicibus valde differt.
Description - Tree 7 m. high, the branchlets slender, terete, the older ones brownish or cinereous, rugulose; young parts copiously lepidote with cinnamon-brown scales, these membranaceous, 0.1-0.15 mm. in diameter, composed of 40-60 rays adnate except at the erosulous margin of the scale; leaves simple, with the lepidote indument persisting on the petiole and costa (at least beneath), otherwise soon glabrate; petioles slender, 1-2 cm. long, flattened or shallowly grooved above, swollen at base and apex; leaf-blades papyraceous, drying dull green, oblanceolate-elliptic or narrowly oblong-elliptic, 7-11 cm. long, 2-4 cm. broad, obtuse at base, rounded or broadly obtuse at apex, recurved at margin, copiously but obscurely punctate on both surfaces with pits indicating scale-attachments, the costa impressed above, prominent beneath, the secondary nerves 9-13 per side, spreading, anastomosing near margins, plane and inconspicuous above, slightly elevated beneath, the veinlets immersed; inflorescences axillary toward apices of branchlets, solitary, 2-3 cm. long in young fruit, few-flowered (flowers not seen but young fruits usually 2-4 per inflorescence), uniformly and copiously lepidote like the young vegetative parts throughout (branches, pedicels, bracteoles, calyx, and ovary) ; bracteoles lanceolate, 1-1.5 mm. long; pedicels in young fruit about 1.5 mm. long; calyx 3-4 mm. in diameter, the lobes oblong, 0.8-1 mm. long, obtuse; young fruit ellipsoid, rounded at both ends, the locules 2, each with 2 ovules.
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Discussion
The only available specimen is indicated as a tree 7 m. high. Although no flowers are available, the specimen clearly represents a new species, being sharply characterized by its simple leaves. The lepidote indument and the leaf-texture indicate a relationship with A. axillaris, A. vitiemis, and A. gracilis, all of which occur in the same general area but have compound leaves. Without flowers it is not possible to place A. haplophylla in a section, but it is obviously more closely related to one of the mentioned species than it is to A. amplexicaulis, the only other simple-leaved Aglaia thus far known from Fiji.