Actinodaphne Nees

First published in N.Wallich, Pl. Asiat. Rar. 2: 68 (1831)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical & Subtropical Asia to SW. Pacific.

Descriptions

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

Distribution
A genus of about 100 species from tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. In New Guinea two species are recorded.
Morphology General Habit
Trees, 7–15 m tall; terminal buds usually with scales, clusters of scars present on the older twigs immediately above the whorls of leaves
Morphology Leaves
Leaves clustered, rarely alternate, penninerved, rarely triplinerved, sometimes glaucous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences umbellate with a cluster of bract scars at the very base, solitary or clustered or arranged in a panicle or raceme; involucral bracts imbricate, caducous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers unisexual and plants dioecious, trimerous; perianth tube short, perianth segments usually 6 in 2 whorls of 3, nearly equal, rarely persistent, cream to yellow or pale green. Staminate flowers: fertile stamens usually 9 in 3 whorls of 3 each, first and second whorls lacking glands, third whorl with 2 glands at the base, anthers 4-celled, introrse; rudimentary pistil small or lacking
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Pistillate flowers: staminodes as many as stamens of staminate flowers; ovary superior, stigma shield-shaped or dilated
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit red when mature, seated on shallow or deep cup-shaped or discoid perianth tube.
Ecology
Found growing in rain forest, at altitude from sea level to1000 m.
Recognition
Species of this genus can be recognised by their relatively large whorled leaves with terminal scales often present on the twigs, the unisexual flowers arranged variously (umbellate, panicles and racemes). The genus can sometimes be confused with species of Litsea with whorled leaves, the latter have stalked umbellate inflorescences without bract scars at the base.
[TONG]

Sources

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Trees of New Guinea

    • Trees of New Guinea
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0