Gossia colnettiana N. Snow

Gossia colnettiana (Guillaumin) N. Snow (Figs 6; 12A-D)

Austrobaileya 8: 180 (2010). — Eugenia colnettiana Guillaumin, Mémoires du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, sér. B, Bot. 8: 242 (1962). — Typus: New Caledonia. Grande Terre, North Prov., Mt Colnett, 1370 m, 13.IX.1951, Hürlimann 1973 (holo-, P [P00602541]; iso: Z [Z-000050851]).

ETYMOLOGY. — Based on the type locality.

DISTRIBUTION, HABITAT AND PHENOLOGY. — Mt Colnett and Mt Panié (Fig. 6); forests and forested slopes, presumably over metamorphics, 1000-1500 m. Flowering September through November; fruiting confirmed for early May, but likely extending into mid June or longer.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. Grande Terre, North Prov. Mt. Colnett, 1000 m, 27.X.2003, McPherson 18973 et al. (MO); Mt. Colnett, forested eastern slopes, 1000 m, 29.X.2003, McPherson 19021 (MO); ibid. loco, 29.X.2003, MacKee 19062 (MO); ibid. loco, 1250-1500 m, 31.X.2003, McPherson 19108 (BISH, KSP [KSP004707], MO, NOU [NOU004355]); Mont Panié, 20°35’09.96”S, 164°46’14.99”E, 1300 m, 5. V.2007, Munzinger 4337 et al. (NOU [NOU 21487], P[P06668691]).

REPRESENTATIVE HERBARIUM SPECIMEN. — P06668691.

DESCRIPTION

Shrubs or trees

1- 5 m.

Branchlets

Terete, surface smooth; internodes> 5 mm.

Leaves

Coriaceous, 2 per node; petioles 2-2.8 mm, terete; blades 2.0- 6.5 × 1.2-3.5 cm, elliptic, base rounded, surface flat, margin flat to somewhat revolute, apex obtuse to slightly acute, midnerve above sulcate, secondary veins above flush, oil glands of lower surface common, sometimes faint.

Inflorescence

(2.0-) 3.5-7.5 cm, of monads, simple cymes, or few-flowered racemes, terminal or axillary along upper nodes; pedicels 5-30 mm; extrafloral bracts leafy if present.

Bracteoles

c. 3.5 mm, narrowly elliptic to narrowly obovate, glabrescent to sparsely sericeous.

Hypanthium

Campanulate, 4-5 × 4.5-5 mm, sometimes slightly ribbed, more or less sericeous; ovary apex hairy.

Calyx

Lobes 5, 3.5-5 mm, broadly ovate, sparsely ciliate on margins, glabrous above, glabrous to sparsely sericeous below, greenish-white (in vivo).

Petals 8-13 × 6-8 mm, glabrous above and below,minutely ciliate apically.

Filaments 8-14 mm; anther sacs 0.6-0.8 mm.

Style

11-16 mm, sparsely hairy at base.

Fruit

Not seen but said to be greenish when young (e.g., Munzinger 4337).

REMARKS

The species closely resembles G. kuakuensis, but the latter has a glabrous hypanthium and occurs from 100-600 m in areas farther west or south, whereas G. colnettiana has a sericeous hypanthium and occurs at 1000 m or above.