Syzygium phaeophyllum

Syzygium phaeophyllum is an extremely rare and poorly understood species of the myrtle family ( Myrtaceae ). It is endemic to the island of Taveuni Fiji and known only from two collections made from the years 1933 and 1934.

Features

Syzygium phaeophyllum is a tree with smooth bark, which reaches a height of 6 m. The stiff, terete branches are brownish. The flattened petioles are 6-10 mm long. The elliptical, leathery leaves are 6-8 cm long and 2.5 to 4 cm wide. At the base of the leaf they are slightly narrowed, pointed at the tip. The slim narrowed tip is sharpened about 1 cm long and light. The leaf blade is entire, and nearly curled at the edges. The rib is slightly grooved above and below prominent. On each side there are seven secondary veins that protrude both on the leaf surface and on the lower leaf surface and run together in an irregular vein 2-4 mm inside the edge. Frequently runs parallel to a second collection vein. The 5-9 cm long, terminal inflorescences are composed rispenartig and many flowered. The side branches are somewhat flattened, the bracts early deciduous. The flowers are often arranged in two or three terminal clusters. They are sessile or very short handle. The leathery, cup-shaped, erect calyx is 3-4 mm long and has a diameter of 3 to 5 mm. The Kronblattsaum is very short. The wavy edge calyx has four small roundish lobes. The obovate, membranous petals are about 2 mm long. The stamens are numerous. The stamens in the bud are 2-3 mm long. The dust bag having a diameter of about 0.5 mm.

Status

The material identified as isotype dates from December 1933. The holotype was collected on 8 January 1934 in a dense forest at the edges of a lake east of Somosomo at an altitude between 700 and 900 m. Since then, no copy is known. The IUCN classifies the species in the category of " threatened with extinction " ( critically endangered ), and estimates the stock to less than 50 copies.

System

Syzygium phaeophyllum was first described in 1936 by Albert Charles Smith Eugenia durifolia. 1942, the type of Elmer Drew Merrill and Lily May Perry was as Syzygium durifolium in the genus Syzygium provided. As this name was given in 1939 for the type Syzygium hallieri from Borneo, the authors Merrill and Perry the new name Syzygium used phaeophyllum in 1945.