Araliaceae

Plerandra A.Gray

First published in U.S. Expl. Exped., Phan. 1: 729 (1854)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Papuasia to SW. Pacific.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/68086088/68117888

Conservation
EN - endangered VU - vulnerable CR - critically endangered CR - critically endangered EN - endangered NT - near threatened CR - critically endangered CR - critically endangered VU - vulnerable
[IUCN]

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

Distribution
A genus of c. 12 species, sometimes treated as conspecific with Schefflera; a single species in New Guinea: Plerandra stahliana Warb.
Morphology General Habit
Trees to 25 m (in New Guinea), unarmed. Stipules united within petiole
Morphology Leaves
Leaves palmately compound, margins entire. Inflorescences axillary below the leaves, a compound umbel; flowers arranged in umbels, heads, or racemes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphroditic or staminate (plants andromonoecious); pedicels not articulated below ovary; calyx an entire to undulate rim; petals 5, calyptrate or separate; stamens numerous (up to c. 150) in 1 or more series; disk with short concrescent styles; ovary 10–13-celled; styles partly or completely united
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a drupaceous berry, ellipsoid, exocarp fleshy, endocarp crustaceous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds laterally compressed; endosperm uniform
Ecology
Found in lowland rain forest as well as swampy habitats to 100 m.
Recognition
Plerandra is similar in to Schefflera in being unarmed with digitately compound leaves, but differs in the axillary inflorescences and the flowers with numerous stamens.
[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.

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • 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