Zehneria morobensis (Merr. & L.M.Perry) N.Wei, G.W.Hu & Q.F.Wang, 2021

Wei, Neng, Mutie, Fredrick Munyao, Mwachala, Geoffrey, Hu, Guang-Wan & Wang, Qing- Feng, 2021, A new combination in Zehneria (Cucurbitaceae), Phytotaxa 521 (2), pp. 123-126 : 123-125

Zehneria morobensis (Merr. & L.M.Perry) N.Wei, G.W.Hu & Q.F.Wang , comb. nov.

Melothria morobensis Merr. & L.M.Perry, J. Arnold Arbor. 29: 167 (1948);

Neoachmandra morobensis (Merr. & L.M.Perry) W.J.De Wilde & Duyfjes , Blumea 51(1): 25 (81) (2006a).

Type: — Papua New Guinea, Morobe Province, Wantoat vicinity, 3500–4500 feet, 30 Mar. 1940, M.S.Clemens 11330 bis (holotype: MICH [ MICH1192913 ] image ! ( Fig. 1 ); isotype: A [ A00031918 ] image! )

Other specimens examined: — Papua New Guinea, Morobe Province, near Bubia , 70 m elev., 6°40′S, 146°56′E, 3 Jun. 2002, W.Takeuchi & D.Ama 16328 ( K [ K000517468 ]!) ; Papua New Guinea, Boridi , ca. 4000 feet, 9 Sep. 1935, C.E.Carr 14850 ( K!) .

Distribution and habitat: — Zehneria morobensis is known from Central and Morobe Provinces in Papua New Guinea. It grows in rainforest clearings and disturbed forest, along streams, at 50–1300 m altitude.

Notes: —This species is close to Zehneria scaberrima (Merr.) Pelser & H.Schaef in Pelser et al. (2021: 97), but differs in having bigger fruits and longer peduncles. Compared with other species recognized previously in Neoachmandra , Z. morobensis has a more obvious wing-like appendage on its seeds in the dried state.

Figures

FIGURE 1. The holotype (M.S.Clemens 11330 bis) of Zehneria morobensis in MICH.