Homalium sect. Polyanthera Warb.

Applequist, Wendy L., 2016, A reconsideration of the infrageneric classification of Homalium Jacq. (Salicaceae), Candollea 71 (2), pp. 231-256 : 254

8. Homalium sect. Polyanthera Warb.

in Engler & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. III(6a): 35, 36. 1893.

Lectotypus (designated here): Homalium deplanchei (Vieill.) Warb. (÷ Blackwellia deplanchei Vieill. )

Stipules axillary, free. Inflorescences racemose (to spicate) or paniculate (usually short-branched); bracts usually small or narrow, bracteoles small, at least the bracts usually persistent past anthesis. Flowers pedicellate with pedicels articulated to subsessile or sessile; perianth 5-12(-13)-merous. Sepals ligulate to linear or narrowly elliptical (ovate to lanceolate, narrowly oblong; seldom much reduced), usually modestly accrescent; calyx tube turbinate to narrowly funnelform or tubular, at least in fruit (rarely funnelform in flower), usually prominently ridged; sepal glands usually small and round, rarely broad. Petals similar in size and shape to sepals or narrowly elliptical to spatulate or oblanceolate (narrowly obovate, oblong-ovate, narrowly deltoid) and markedly longer than sepals, ascending to partly spreading (seldom nearly erect or reflexed after anthesis), usually modestly accrescent; sepals and petals usually ciliate, usually with long and/or stiff trichomes. Stamens 2-10(- 12) per petal, inserted between glands; anthers dorsifixed, broadly oblong-elliptical with oblong-elliptical locules and a large connective, the slits of dehiscence nearly parallel, or broader than long, usually very small, with subglobose locules diverging at a broad angle, slits of dehiscence often toward the apex. Upper surface of ovary conical in flower and fruit (in a few species, nearly flat and narrow, the ovary almost entirely inferior); styles 3-5(-7), free to near base. Locule of fruit much taller than broad, apex shaped like that of the ovary, pubescent at least in lower portion; seeds usually several per fruit, small, confined to apical portion of ovary.

Distribution. – Southern Asia, Malesia, Pacific to Australia.

Species included. – Homalium acuminatum Cheeseman , H. alnifolium Thwaites & F. Muell. , H. aneityense Guillaumin , H. austrocaledonicum Seem. , H. betulifolium Däniker , H. bracteatum Benth. , H. buxifolium Däniker , H. caryophyllaceum (Zoll. & Moritz) Benth. , H. celebicum Koord. , H. circumpinnatum , H. dasyanthum , H. decurrens (Vieill.) Briq. , H. dentrecasteauxense , H. deplanchei , H. foetidum , H. francii Guillaumin , H. guillainii (Vieill.) Briq. , H. intermedium (Vieill.) Briq. , H. juxtapositum Sleumer , H. kanaliense (Vieill.) Briq. , H. kunstleri , H. laurifolium A.C. Sm. , H. leratiorum Guillaumin , H. maneauense Craven , H. mathieuanum , H. moto H. St. John , H. moultonii , H. mouo H. St. John , H. myriandrum Merr. , H. nitens Turrill , H. oblongifolium Merr. , H. pallidum A.C. Sm. , H. polystachyum (Vieill.) Briq. , H. protectum Sleumer , H. ramosii Merr. , H. rivulare (Vieill.) Briq. , H. rubiginosum (Vieill.) Briq. , H. rubrocostatum Sleumer , H. samarense Merr. , H. schlichii Kurz , H. spathulatum Ridl. , H. streimannii Craven , H. subcordatum Craven , H. tatambense Sleumer , H. taypau H. St. John , H. tongaense H. St. John , H. travancoricum Bedd. H. undulatum King , H. velutinum Craven , H. villarianum S. Vidal , H. vitiense Benth. , H. whitmeeanum H. St. John.

Notes. – The original publication of Homalium sect. Polyanthera did not designate a type, and included two species, Homalium deplanchei and H. polyandrum Warb. Because H. polyandrum is now considered to be a junior synonym of H. mathieuanum ( Sleumer, 1974; Lescot, 1980), H. deplanchei is preferred as type. Some species-level taxonomic problems exist in this group, perhaps especially in the Pacific island taxa most recently dealt with by St. John (1977). Whistler (2004) tentatively treats H. tongaense as a synonym of H. whitmeeanum (described from Samoa) and implies that H. taypau and H. mouo are likely to be synonymous with H. acuminatum and H. moto respectively.