Gjellerupia Lauterb.

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

Distribution

A monotypic genus, Gjellerupia papuana Lauterb., which is endemic to mainland New Guinea

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs and trees to 6 m tall, bark pale grey

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate and distichous, ovate to lanceolate, base cuneate to rounded, apex acute to acuminate, midrib raised below, lateral veins usually 8–15 pairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, racemose, usually 1 per node, axis slender, glabrous, bracts cordate, margin ciliate, caducous before anthesis. Flowers unisexual and plants dioecious; male flowers usually with 4 free, oblong tepals, reflexed after anthesis, stamens 4, filaments longer than tepals, pistillode present, disk annular; female flowers without tepals or staminodes, disk annular, ovary conical, stigma sessile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a single-seeded drupe, globose, reddish when ripe, mesocarp fleshy.

Ecology

Gjellerupia is found in mainland New Guinea in the understorey of rain forests, often on limestone substrates, from sea level up to 200 m.

Recognition

The genus can be recognised by the usually solitary, racemose inflorescences with unisexual flowers, the female flowers without perianth or staminodes, the unlobed disk and the globose shape of the drupes. The branches sometimes have a zig-zag appearance.