Gomphandra Wall. ex Lindl.

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

Distribution

The largest genus in the family with about 55 species from tropical Asia to north-eastern Australia; six species in New Guinea (five of them endemic).

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs to medium sized trees

Morphology Leaves

Leaves various, chartaceous to coriaceous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, leaf-opposed, or pseudo-terminal-Flowers unisexual; calyx cupular, entire to minutely apiculate or lobed; petals 4–5, free to connate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Staminate flowers: stamens 4–5, generally exserted, filaments flattened and dilated upward, glabrous or more often pubescent ab- and adaxially, and/or at the connective; ovary rudiment small, cylindrical to ovoid-conical-Pistillate flowers: staminodes resembling stamens (though less pubescent than those in staminate flowers); ovary cylindrical, sometimes gibbous at the base but without a lateral appendage, stigma sessile, capitate, often lobed or ridged, accrescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit uncompressed, drupe shape various, flesh thin, endocarp usually with 8–13 longitudinal ridges.

Ecology

This genus is found in both lowland and montane habitats (occasionally found up to 2200 m).

Recognition

It is recognised by the Stemonuroid habit of a straight, erect bole with numerous perpendicular branches radiating out from the trunk, the unisexual flowers with staminate flowers having exserted stamens with short or long hairs and the pistillate flowers with a cylindrical ovary with a large discoid stigma, and the fruit which is crowned by the persistent stigma which lack a fleshy appendage but are thin fleshy when ripe and white, yellow to pale pink in colour when mature, and are not bicoloured.