Pullea Schltr.

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution

A genus of three to four species from Moluccas, New Guinea, Australia and Fiji, not recorded from the Solomon Islands; two species in New Guinea: Pullea glabra Schltr. and P. mollis Schltr.

Morphology General Habit

Trees or shrubs to 30 m tall

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules interpetiolar, equal in number to number of leaves at the node, ovate to oblong, caducous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite or whorled, decussate, simple, margins entire or crenate, domatia sometimes present on undersurface

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences usually axillary, paniculate, flowers either dispersed or clustered into small glomerules

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bisexual, usually 5-merous; hypanthium present; calyx lobes imbricate, chartaceous, persistent in fruit; petals absent; stamens barely exserted; disk lobes free or united in pairs; ovary semi-inferior, syncarpous, 2-locular, ovules usually 4 per locule, styles terete, often cylindrical at the base, persistent in fruit, stigmas punctate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit indehiscent, hidden within calyx lobes, stigmas persistent and diverging

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds few, small, not winged.

Ecology

In New Guinea, Pullea occurs in lower montane forest between 750 m and 2400 m, sometimes beside rivers.

Recognition

It can be recognised by the simple leaves, the flowers often in small globular clusters arranged in paniculate inflorescences, the imbricate calyx lobes, the 2-locular, semi-inferior ovary and the tiny, indehiscent fruit with strongly persistent stigmas.