Lindera Thunb.

First published in Nov. Gen. Pl. 3: 44 (1783), nom. cons.
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Asia to Queensland, SE. Canada to Central & E. U.S.A.

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 temperate to tropical regions of Asia and a few species in Australia and North America. In New Guinea only two species are recorded: Lindera novoguineensis Kosterm. from the Arfak Mountains on the Bird’s Head Peninsula of Indonesian West Papua, and one species which is only known from a single specimen from Mt. Wilhelm in Papua New Guinea putatively determined as an undescribed species ‘L. patentifolia Kosterm.’. The genus is absent from the Solomon Islands.
Morphology General Habit
Small trees 4–7 m tall; terminal buds sometimes with scales
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, margins entire, penninerved, trinerved, or triplinerved, glaucous below
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence umbellate or umbels with several flowers, along a short shoot or in the axils of leaves; involucral bracts 4, decussate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Staminate flowers 9 (rarely more) fertile stamens, stamens usually arranged into 3 whorls; anthers 2-celled, introrse, with 2 stipitate glands at filament base; reduced pistil small, sometimes style and stigma joined as a small mucro Flowers unisexual and plants dioecious, yellow or greenish yellow; tepals (0–)6(–9), equal in size or outer whorl slightly larger, usually deciduous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Pistillate flowers: staminodes usually 9(–15), with 2 flat, sessile, reniform glands on both sides of staminodes; ovary globose or ellipsoid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Drupe blue-black when mature, globose or ellipsoid, small cupule is sometimes present at base.
Ecology
Found growing in montane forest from 1750–2900 m.
Recognition
Very similar to Litsea with unisexual flowers borne on umbellate inflorescences, but differing in having 2-locular anthers; specimens in fruit or with pistillate flowers are difficult to identify, but the cupule at the base of the fruit is usually not as large and conspicuous as in species of Litsea.
[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