Lycianthes vitiensis (Seem.) A.R.Bean, Austrobaileya 6(3): 568. 2003.

Knapp, Sandra, 2022, A revision of Lycianthes (Solanaceae) in Australia, New Guinea, and the Pacific, PhytoKeys 209, pp. 1-134 : 1

17. Lycianthes vitiensis (Seem.) A.R.Bean, Austrobaileya 6(3): 568. 2003.

Figs 51 , 52

Solanum vitiense Seem., J. Bot. 1: 206. 1863. Type. Fiji. Ovalau: "Port Kinnaird, July 1860", B. Seemann 340 (lectotype, designated here: K [K000759477]; isolectotypes: BM [BM000846686], E [E00279459], G [G00343067], GH [00077854], P [P00315328], W [acc. # 1889-076975]).

Brachistus feddei Reinecke, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 25: 674. 1895, as “Feddei”. Type. Samoa. Upolu: Mulifanua, Oct 1893, F. Reinecke 78 (lectotype, designated here: WRSL [WR LB 066181]; isolectotype: BISH [acc. # 181507, BISH1005071]).

Solanum rechingeri Witasek, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 5: 165. 1908, as “Rechingeri”. Type. Solomon Islands. "Shortlands Inseln, Insel Poperang", 1905, K. Rechinger & L. Rechinger 4398 (lectotype, designated by Symon 1985, pg. 67 [as holotype]: W [acc.# 0003088]; isolectotypes: LAE [acc. # 231328, acc. # 231327]).

Lycinathes rechingeri (Witasek) Bitter, Abh. Naturwiss. Vereins Bremen 24 [preprint]: 504. 1919, as “Rechingeri”. Type. Based on Solanum rechingeri Witasek.

Type.

Based on Solanum vitiense Seem.

Description.

Trees to 15 m tall, with single trunks to 30 cm diameter at breast height; stems terete, glabrous or minutely puberulent (especially near the nodes) with weak-walled, 10-15-celled simple uniseriate trichomes to 0.25 mm long, these drying golden reddish brown, soon glabrescent; new growth densely puberulent-papillate with weak-walled 10-15 celled simple uniseriate trichomes like those of the stems near the nodes; bark of older stems pale grey or whitish grey. Sympodial units difoliate, the leaves geminate, the leaves of a pair, differing in size but not in shape. Leaves simple; blades of major leaves 8-28 cm long, (2.5)4-12.5 cm wide, elliptic to broadly elliptic, widest at the middle, somewhat discolorous, membranous to thick and chartaceous (rubbery in live plants?); adaxial surfaces shiny, completely glabrous; abaxial surfaces glabrous; principal veins 7-10 pairs, prominent beneath, drying reddish brown; base acute; margins entire; apex acute to acuminate; petioles 2-4.5 cm long (or perhaps even longer in larger leaves), glabrous; blades of minor leaves 3.8-11.5 cm long, 2.5-6.5 cm wide, shape, texture and pubescence like than of the major leaves; base acute; margins entire; apex acute to acuminate, sometimes rounded; petioles 0.7-1.5 cm long, glabrous. Inflorescences axillary 4-10 flowered fascicles with several flowers usually open at once, sometimes developing a woody axis or axes to 0.6 cm long, pubescent with floccose reddish brown trichomes like those of the new growth; pedicels at anthesis 1.5-2 cm long, 0.5-0.75 mm in diameter at the base, 1.5-2 mm in diameter at the apex, spreading, glabrous, articulated at the base; pedicel scars tightly packed in the leaf axils or along the short inflorescence axes. Buds ellipsoid, the corolla exserted ca. halfway from the calyx tube before anthesis. Flowers 5-merous, heterostylous and unisexual, specimens have only short-styled flowers or long-styled flowers and fruits, the plants probably dioecious (described as androdioecious, with staminate and hermaphroditic flowers, by Reinecke 1898, as Brachistus feddei ). Calyx tube 3-3.5 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, openly cup-shaped, chartaceous or somewhat fleshy, often purple or flushed with purple, sparsely puberulent with floccose trichomes like those of the stems, without appendages, the rim hyaline and irregular ( “ruffly”). Corolla 1-1.8 cm in diameter, white, sometimes fragrant, stellate, lobed ca. 3/4 of the way to the base, interpetalar tissue present, the lobes 5-8 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide, spreading to somewhat reflexed, adaxially glabrous, abaxially glabrous or densely papillate, the tips and margins always densely papillate. Stamens equal; filament tube minute; free portion of the filaments 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous; anthers 2.5-4 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, ellipsoid and slightly tapering at the tips, white, cream-colored or yellow, poricidal at the tips, the pores tear-drop shaped and markedly splitting to slits with age, some plants apparently with longitudinally dehiscent anthers and no pores (see figure 5 in Smith 1991). Ovary conical, glabrous, vestigial in short-styled flowers; style in short-styled flowers to 1.5 mm long, in long-styled flowers 5.5-6 mm long, straight, glabrous; stigma clavate, occasionally somewhat bilobed, the surfaces minutely papillate. Fruit a globose berry, 0.5-1.5 cm in diameter, green to orange when immature and bright red when ripe (description as “atroviridi” by Reinecke 1898 possibly refers to dry material; blue fide Kajewski 1863), the pericarp glabrous, shiny, translucent; fruiting pedicels 2-2.5 cm long, ca. 1.5 mm in diameter at the base, 2-2.5 mm in diameter at the apex, spreading, glabrous, woody, corky and rugose; fruiting calyx a cup with a spreading thinner rim beneath the fruit, the rim thinner than the woody calyx cup, the rim sometimes reflexed. Seeds (10)30-50 per berry, 4-5 mm long, 3.5-4 mm wide, flattened and rounded with a prominent notch, yellowish tan, the surfaces deeply pitted at the thickened margins with pentagonal to rectangular testal cells, the centre of the seed smooth or only shallowly pitted with testal cells pentagonal in outline. Stone cells absent. Chromosome number not known.

Distribution

(Fig. 53 ). Lycianthes vitiensis is a mostly Pacific species, known from New Guinea (Bougainville Island), the Solomon Islands, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. It is very common in Fiji ( Smith 1991).

Ecology and habitat.

Lycianthes vitiensis is a plant of many forest types, and has been collected both in primary and secondary rainforests and along streams; from 30 to 1,200 m elevation.

Common names.

There are no standard common names ( Smith 1991), but several different names have been recorded across its range. Fiji: malawatha (Smith 5828), nandata (Degener 14832), nggalinggwa (Smith 5270), teleniva (Smith 5250), tungasele (Smith 1244), vualiku (Smith 5250). New Guinea (Bougainville): em-wuye (Kajewski 1863), kosiou (Waterhouse 88), neketigo (Kajewski 1800), nua (Waterhouse 272B). Samoa: koriele (Guppy 160), uagagi (Christopherson 2697), u’agani (Bristol 12146)]. No uses have been recorded.

Preliminary conservation assessment

( IUCN 2020). EOO (1,758,710 km2 - LC); AOO (288 km2 - EN). Lycianthes vitiensis is known from more than 10 localities on many islands in the western Pacific and is often described as a "common tree" on herbarium labels. This suggests it should be assessed as Least Concern (LC), despite its island occurrence.

Discussion.

Lycianthes vitiensis is a relatively common slender tree; both Seemann (1863) and Reinecke (1898) recognised it as having long- and short-styled flowers. Bitter (1919) did not include this species in his treatment of Lycianthes , perhaps because in German herbaria it was often cited as a species of Brachistus Miers (see below) due to longitudinal anther dehiscence. Symon (1985) suggested that L. vitiensis (as S. vitiense ) showed intermediate characters between Lycianthes (as subgenus Lycianthes Lycianthes ) and Solanum , citing the short inflorescence axis and calyx that sometimes appears five lobed.

Lycianthes vitiensis is not easily confused with any other species of Lycianthes treated here. Like L. shanesii it is a small tree; it differs from that species in its many-flowered inflorescence with a short axis (versus few-flowered strictly axillary inflorescences in L. shanesii ) and in the dense, tangled reddish brown pubescence of 10-15-celled trichomes on young stems and inflorescences (versus sparse golden pubescence of 2-3-celled trichomes of L. shanesii ). Lycianthes vitiensis is not sympatric with any other Lycianthes in Asia, Australia or the Pacific. It is most similar to L. banahaensis (Elmer) Bitter of the Philippines (not treated here) with which it shares floccose reddish brown pubescence of stems and new growth, but differs from that species in its white or violet (versus yellow) flowers and red (versus orange) mature berries.

Lycianthes vitiensis is unusual in Lycianthes in its anther dehiscence by both apical pores and more commonly by longitudinal slits. Many species of Solanum with ellipsoid anthers have tear-drop shaped apical pores that split longitudinally with age and drying (see Särkinen et al. 2018; Knapp et al. 2019). The longitudinally dehiscent anthers of L. vitiensis , in contrast, do not appear to be poricidal at the outset (see figure 5 in Smith 1991: 24). This difference does not correlate with the sex expression of individual flowers, and its occurrence merits further study.

Flowers of Lycianthes vitiensis are sometimes described as fragrant (e.g., Mauriasi et al. BISP-13952), other times as with no smell (e.g., Mauriasi et al. BISP-8491); this may be due to time of day or degree of anthesis,

In the protologue of Solanum vitiense , Seemann (1863) only cited his collection number “340” but no herbarium. I have selected the specimen at Kew (K000759477) as the lectotype, because it is well-preserved and has a clear label with both the number and the locality. Other specimens at Kew cited as types by Symon (1985) are not clearly duplicates of this number. Smith (1991) cited two sheets at Kew as “holotype”, but this does not constitute effective lectotypification.

In the protologue of Brachistus feddei , Reinecke (1898) cited three of his own Samoan collections: Reinecke 58 (male), Reinecke 58a (male) and Reinecke 78 (hermaphrodite). Reinecke’s own collections are housed in WRSL. Of the collections located there Reinecke 78 is the best preserved and has bisexual flowers, therefore the duplicate of this collection at WRSL is here selected as the lectotype. The duplicate of Reinecke 78 held at BISH has both the locality and date of collection matching the protologue and is and isolectotype (BISH1005071). A note on the specimen from A.C. Smith dated June 1988 indicates the holotype is at B; this was a common mistaken assumption for many names coined by German botanists. Nowhere in Reinecke’s protologue does he indicate material in Berlin; his personal herbarium is held in WRSL (now in Poland). Duplicates of Reinecke’s collections held at K (Reinecke 58, K000759467; Reinecke 58a K000759466) cited by Symon as types, have different dates than those in the protologue (September in the protologue and October on the Kew specimens) and are thus I do not strictly consider them isolectotypes.

Specimens examined.

Fiji. 'Fiejie Islands’, US Exploring Expedition under the command of Capt Wilkes s.n. (NY). Lau Archipelago: Kabara, ‘Kambara’, limestone formation, 2 Mar 1934, Smith 1244 (K, NY, P, US). Ngau: hills E of Herald Bay, inland from Sawaieke, 300-450 m, 15 Jun 1953, Smith 7797 (K, NY, US); Ovalau: sin. loc., 15 Oct 1924, Bryan 608 (US); near summit of main range W of Levuka, 200 m, 26 Jan 1928, Gillespie 4446 (K, US); hills above Levuka reservoir, 400 m, 30 Jan 1928, Gillespie 4517 (NY); hills east of Lovoni Valley, 300-500 m, 11 May 1953, Smith 7343 (K, NY, P, US); slopes of Mt. Koronimiko, vicinity of Thawathi, 250-350 m, 13 Jul 1953, Smith 8082 (K, NY, P, US); Vanua Balavu: 'Vanua Mbalavu’, northern limestone section, 2 Apr 1934, Smith 1508 (K, NY, P, US); Vanua Levu: Mt. Delaikoro, Macuata, 762-914 m, 21 Aug 1962, Koroiveibau 12807 (K); Cakaudrove, Navonu, Nov 1964, Qoro USDA-14091 (K, NY); southern slope of Korotini Range, below Navitho Pass, Thakaundrove, 300-650 m, 21 Nov 1933, Smith 574 (K, NY, P, US); Yanawai River region, Mount Kasi, Thakaundrove, 300-430 m, 10 May 1934, Smith 1826 (K, NY, US); Viti Levu: Serua District, 152 m, 14 Jun 1961, Bola 41 (K); vicinity of Nandarivatu, TholoNorth, 700-900 m, 16 Mar 1941, Degener 14832 (K, NY, US); Vuninatiambua, Navai, Tholo North, 750-900 m, 4 Feb 1941, Degener 14875 (K, MO, NY, US); Mbulu, near Sovi Bay, Tholo West, 20 Apr 1941, Degener 15032 (K, MO, NY, P, US); Mt. Victoria [Mount Tomanivi], 29 Dec 1968, Degener et al. 32083 (E, NY); S of Naboutini, Serua, 274 m, 17 Dec 1963, Forestry Department 965 (K); Nadarivatu, 823 m, Aug 1907, Gibbs 568 (BM, K); Tamavua woods 8 miles above Suva, 150 m, 6 Aug 1928, Gillespie 2016 (K, NY, P, US); above waterfall near Namuamua, Namosi, 400 m, 2 Oct 1927, Gillespie 3251 (K, NY, US); slopes of Mount Victoria [Mount Tomanivi], 1,000 m, 29 Nov 1927, Gillespie 4082 (NY); Albuggi Levu, Graeffe, E. s.n. (K); Mount Evans [= Mount Koroyanitu], Lautoka, 914 m, 3 Oct 1920, Greenwood 127 (K); Lautoka, Mt. Evans [=Mount Koroyanitu], 750 m, 16 Sep 1945, Greenwood 1151 (K, US); banks of Samaruna [=Samambula?] River, Horne 714 (K); Nadroga-Navosa, Nausori Highlands, 579 m, 20 Jul 1964, Kuruveli 13888 (K); Naboutini, Serua, 9 Sep 1964, Kuruveli & Qoro 14007 (K); Tailevu, Dakuivuna, 13 Nov 1957, Ledua 11018 (K); 9 miles above Suva, Jul 1932, Meebold 17036 (K); prov. Ba, Nadarivatu, 1,067 -1,219 m, 24 Oct 1962, Parham & Koroveibau 13051 (K); Naitsiri, Princes [Princess] Road, 21 Apr 1936, Raigiso 3141 (K); sin. loc., Seemann 42 (BM); [Tailevu], 1860, Seemann 387 (K, P); western and southern slopes of Mount Tomonivi (Mt. Victoria) [Mount Tomanivi], Mba (formerly Tholo North), 850-1,150 m, 7 Jul 1947, Smith 5250 (K, NY, P, US); western and southern slopes of Mount Tomonivi (Mt. Victoria), Mba (formerly Tholo North), 850-1,150 m, 7 Jul 1947, Smith 5270 (K, NY, P, US); northern portion of Rairaimatuku Plateau, between Nandrau and Nanga, Nandronga and Navosa (formerly Tholo North), 725-825 m, 4 Aug 1947, Smith 5501 (K, NY, P, US); hills between Nggaliwana and Nandala Creeks, south of Nauwanga, Mba (formerly Tholo North), 725-850 m, 26 Aug 1947, Smith 5828 (K, NY, P, US); hills bordering Wainavindrau Creek, in vicinity of Wainimakutu, Namosi, 150-250 m, 17 Sep 1953, Smith 8894 (K, NY, P, US); hills W of Wainikoroiluva River, near Namuamua, Namosi, 50-200 m, 15 Oct 1953, Smith 8930 (K, NY, P, US); hills N of Ngaloa, in darinage of Waininggere Creek, Serua, 30-150 m, 19 Nov 1953, Smith 9171 (K, NY, P, US); Serua, hills west of Waivunu Creek, between Ngaloa and Korovou, 50-150 m, 23 Nov 1953, Smith 9264 (K, NY, US); Nambavatu [Creek], Tothill, B.H. 556 (K), Tothill 633 (K); path Kalumbo (Suva), 5 Aug 1926, Tothill 636 (K); Nandarivatu [= Nadarivatu], 914 m, 1927, Tothill 638 (K), Feb 1927, Tothill 639 (K).

Papua New Guinea. Bougainville (North Solomons): Bougainville Island, 22 miles NW of Tonlei Harbour, Buin subdistrict, 91 m, 25 Aug 1969, Foreman NGF-45698 (A, K, L, LAE); Kugi-maru, Buin ., 150 m, 2 Jun 1930, Kajewski 1800 (BM, G, P); Kugumaru, Buin ., 150 m, 12 Jun 1930, Kajewski 1863 (BM, G, P); vicinity of Aku [Aka] village, ca. 10 miles W of Buin Station, 30 m, 21 Sep 1964, Schodde & Craven 4094 (A, G, K, L, LAE); "Melanesia, Siwai, Bougainville", Sep 1932, Waterhouse 66 (K, NY, US) , Sep 1930, Waterhouse 272 - B, (K);

Samoa. sin. loc., Horne s.n. (K), Powell 365 (K), Whitmee 52 (K), Aug 1875, Whitmee 185 [a] (K). Savai’i: far inland from Aopo, base line 4 of Division of Forestry 1968 forestry survey, 300 m, 28 Jun 1968, Bristol 2146 (K, LAE, NY, US) ; above Salailua , 650 m, 22 May 1924, Bryan 173 (K, US) ; Olo , [Mount Olomanu], 700 m, 4 Aug 1931, Christophersen & Hume 2249 (K, NY, P, US) , 9 Aug 1931, Christophersen & Hume 2320 (K, NY, P, US) , 9 Aug 1931, Christophersen & Hume 2324 [a] (P, US) , 9 Aug 1931, Christophersen & Hume 2354 (NY), 26 Aug 1931, Christophersen & Hume 2518 (NY, P), 26 Aug 1931, Christophersen & Hume 2521 (K), 26 Aug 1931, Christophersen & Hume 2528 ( US) ; above Salailua, 900 m, 22 Sep 1931, Christophersen 2697 (K); Lo To, above Salailua, 750 m, 21 Oct 1931, Christophersen 2895 (K, NY, P);); above Salailua, ca. 1,350 m, 7 Nov 1931, Christophersen 3116 (P), 1,200 m, 5 Nov 1931, Christophersen 3123 (NY); ueber Aopo [ A’opo], Sep 1894, Reinecke, F. 58 a (K, WRSL); Olomono, uber Olomono, 600 m, 7 Sep 1905, Vaupel s.n. (MO); Forestry Block 25 inland from Asau, 29 Jun 1972, Whistler 4 ( US) ; above Ologogo , 700 m, 21 Aug 1973, Whistler 520 ( US) ; above Asau in Block 28, 550 m, 16 Oct 1973, Whistler 891 ( US) . Upolu: Malololelei, near Malololelei, 550 m, 17 Aug 1929, Christophersen 326 (NY, P); ' Ins. Upolu’, Graeffe s.n. (BM, NY), Mar 1880, Graeffe 1354 (K); sin. loc., 1896, Hufnagel s.n. ( US) ; Tanumalala, 200 m, 11 Aug 1955, MacKee 2995 (K); Upalu [Upolu sin. loc.], von Mueller 13 (BM); Sameaberg [= Samea], Oct 1893, Reinecke 58 (K, WRSL); Olonono [illegible-Bugrange?] [Cape Olonono], 7 Nov 1905, Vaupel 104 (K, US) ; E of the main road near Tiavi , 700 m, 3 Oct 1973, Whistler 1071 (K, US) ; just N of Lake Lanoanea , 600 m, 5 Nov 1973, Whistler 1090 ( US) ; near Mt. Le Pu'e , 750 m, 7 Dec 1973, Whistler 1253 ( US) .

Solomon Islands. sin. loc., Kajewski D s.n. (BM, P). Central Province: Florida Island , Popinisura [=Nggela Islands, Nggela Sule], Comins 235 (K); Rove Area , Big Nggela [=Nggela Sule], 91 m, 24 Jul 1969, Gafui & collectors BSIP-16787 (K). Choiseul Province: Choiseul Island, East Mbirambira , West Choiseul, valley bottom, 15 m, 17 Jan 1970, Gafui & collectors BISP-18862 (K). Guadalcanal Province: Berande River ., 31 Dec 1930, Kajewski 2388 (A, BM, G, P); NW Guadalcanal, Mt. Austen , W side of the trial plot, 304 m, 27 Nov 1964, Kere BSIP-4936 (K), 23 Dec 1964, Kere BSIP-5057 (K); NW Guadalcanal, Mt. Mambulu summit [=Mount Austen], 457 m, 19 Jul 1967, Nakisi BSIP-8013 (K); Guadalcanal Island, Guadalcanal, west fork Tenau River , 30 Sep 1945, Riley 45 (A, NY, US); Guadalcanal, Mt Austen near Honiara, 304 m, 13 Mar 1963, Whitmore BSIP-776 (K); N Guadalcanal, Kukum, 0.5 mile inland for training college, 7 Feb 1964, Whitmore BSIP-2567 (K). Isabel Province: Samusodu, SW Santa Ysabel, 85 m, 2 May 1966, Beer’s collectors BSIP-7225 (K); Korigole Bay , SW Santa Ysabel, 48 m, 13 Jun 1966, Beer’s collectors BSIP-7306 (K); Ysabel Island , Kolokofa R, NW Santa Isabel, 250 m, 5 Apr 1966, Teona BISP-6362 (K, L, LAE, US); Santa Ysabel, near Maringe Lagoon, Molau Village , 670 m, 27 Oct 1963, Whitmore BSIP-2437 (K). Malaita Province: N of Anihonora’a Village, E Malaita, 5 Sep 1969, Gafui & collectors BSIP-16450 (K). Western Province: Shortland Island , May 1884, Guppy 160 (K); SE Kolombangara, W of Vila River, 30 m, 20 Dec 1967, Mauriasi & collectors BSIP-8491 (K); Fauro Island , Haliuna River area , 114 m, 16 Apr 1969, Mauriasi & collectors BISP-13952 (A, K, L, LAE); NW Treasury Island [=Mono Island], Akolea River area, 60 m, 26 Apr 1969, Mauriasi & collectors BSIP-14089 (K); Palusua, SE Mono, 22 m, 11 May 1969, Mauriasi & collectors BSIP-14154 (K); New Georgia Group , Baga Island, 26 Jan 1964, Whitmore’s collectors BSIP-3081 (K) .

Tonga. Vava’u: above Ha’alaufuli on northeastern side of island, 60 m, 21 May 1953, Yuncker 16103 (NY, US).

Figures

Figure 51. Lycianthes vitiensis (Seem.) A. R. Bean. Drawing by M. L. Szent-Ivany, first published in Symon (1985: fig. 24, as S. vitiense Seem.). Courtesy of the Board of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium (Adelaide, South Australia), reproduced with permission.

Figure 52. Lycianthes vitiensis herbarium specimen. Fiji. Viti Levu: Gibbs 568 (BM 001019015). Courtesy of the Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London, reproduced with permission.

Figure 53. Distribution of Lycianthes vitiensis.