Syzygium viriosum Craven & J. W. Dawson
Creators: name: Snow, Neil
name: Byng, James W.
name: Munzinger, Jérôme
name: Callmander, Martin W.
name: Dawson, John W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Myrtales
Myrtaceae
Syzygium
Syzygium viriosum

description: Syzygium viriosum Craven & J.W. Dawson in Blumea 55: 98. 2010.
Ξ Piliocalyx robustus Brongn. & Gris in Bull. Soc. Bot. France 12: 185. 1865 [non Syzygium robustum Miq.].
Lectotypus (designated here): NEW CALEDONIA: Prov. Nord: Balade, Vieillard 529 (P [P00522310]!; isolecto-: P [P04633317]!). Syntypi: Balade, 1855-60, Vieillard 529, 530 [label indicates both numbers] (A [A00071214] image seen, P [P00522311, P00522312, P00522313]!).
Trees to 6 m. Branchlets laterally compressed but expanded prominently below nodes, glabrous. Leaves sessile. Leaf blades 6-12 × 4-7 cm, elliptic to ovate, base cordate and clasping, margin flat to undulate and sometimes revolute, apex obtuse to rounded. Inflorescences terminal, 7-11 × 6-8 cm, many-branched, main axes flattened and swollen beneath branching points, violet. Flowers in bud c. 2-3 mm. Hypanthium c. 2.5-3 × 3-4 mm, campanulate, pinkish to white. Fruits 1.3-2 × 1.3-2 cm, globose, maturing white.
Notes. ‒ In addition to the sessile leaves, the broadly diverging secondary veins (80-85°) are a good diagnostic character of this species. Additional diagnostic traits include: calyptra c. 3-4 mm diameter, with pronounced umbo; stamens 1-3 mm, whitish; anther c. 0.2 mm; style 3-4 × c. 0.6 mm (relatively stout).
The protologue listed three syntypes: Vieillard 529, Vieillard 530 and Pancher s.n. collected in 1860. However, some specimens indicate both numbers of Vieillard (see below). The specimen selected as the lectotype previously was given a red “type” label by an unknown worker.
The species resembles Syzygium bullatum but differs by its flat (non-bullate) leaf texture, leaf bases that often are clasping and cordate, and laterally compressed branchlets that are swollen beneath the nodes (e.g., Barrabé et al. 855).
Additional specimens seen. ‒ NEW CALEDONIA. Prov. Nord: forêt au S de Canala, Balansa 2105 (P [P04633319]); Réserve de l’Aoupinié, route de l’antenne, 15.I.2009, Barrabé 855 (NOU [NOU033956], P [P06669074], WELTU); upper Tchamba River Valley, Poindei forest, along road to Wao Uni, 21°00’25’’S 165°14’27’’E, 500 m, 27.IV.2002, Lowry et al. 5683 (NOU [NOU013330], MO-04771356, P [P04682341]); crête entre haute Tchamba et haute Amoa, 600 m, MacKee 13696 (P [P04633429, P05265306]); ibid. loc., MacKee 15663 (P [P04633436]); Pouébo, crête entre Mandjélia et Salandane, 600 m, 26.II.1970, MacKee 21631 (NOU [NOU031496]; P [P04633439]); contrefort NW du Mt. Canala, 700- 800 m, MacKee 24015 (P [P04633444]); Pouébo, Mt Mandjélia, 650 m, 17.II.1977, MacKee 32834 (P [P05265222]); Ponerihouen, Mt Aoupinié, 1000 m, 30.V.1978, MacKee 35208 (NOU [NOU013119], P [P05265219]); Haute Diahot, 600 m, 12.V.1983, MacKee 41465 (P [P05265204]); Aoupinié, 900-1000 m, Morat 7975 (NOU [NOU031491], P [P04776436]); Balade, 1860, Pancher 759 (K [K000800629], P [P00522314]); Aoupinié, 2.IX.1981, Suprin 1347 (NOU [NOU073271, NOU031497]); Balade, Vieillard s.n. (P [P04633318]); Prov. Sud: Farino, Forêt Mépéou, 13.VII.1965, MacKee 13003 (G, MO-5813368, L [L.4158636], NOU [NOU013792], P [P05265300, P06603440]).
description: Published as part of Snow, Neil, Byng, James W., Munzinger, Jérôme, Callmander, Martin W. & Dawson, John W., 2017, New Caledonian Piliocalyx transferred to Syzygium (Myrtaceae) with an updated conspectus of the species, pp. 239-248 in Candollea 72 (2) on pages 246-247, DOI: 10.15553/c2017v722a1, http://zenodo.org/record/5721957