Gossia N.Snow & Guymer

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

Distribution

About 30 species, distributed from New Guinea to eastern Australia and the western Pacific. Six species occur in New Guinea. Gossia was split from Austromyrtus in by Snow et al. (2003).

Morphology General Habit

Trees and shrubs to 20 m tall

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, coriaceous, glossy or matte above, usually matte below, base cuneate, rounded or cordate, apex acute, pinnately veined intra-marginal vein present. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, solitary, racemose or paniculate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4–5-merous, white or cream, erect, hypanthium not extending beyond the summit of the ovary; sepals free, rounded or triangular, persistent in fruit; petals free; stamens many, free, in several whorls; ovary inferior, 2-locular, style simple, stigma punctate, placentation axile, 5–30 ovules per placenta

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a fleshy berry, usually black or purple but occasionally orange or red, crowned by persistent calyx lobes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2–10, with a hard testa, occasionally leathery, embryo circinnate.

Ecology

Gossia has been recorded from rain forests and seasonally dry forests in New Guinea.

Recognition

The genus can be recognised by the 4–5-merous flowers which are usually in racemose or paniculate inflorescences, the 2–4-locular ovary, the black or purple fruit with 2–10 seeds and the coiled or C-shaped embryo. The 4-merous species of Gossia may be confused with Eugenia, but Eugenia has red or orange fruit which is usually single-seeded, a 2-locular ovary and a homogenous embryo. Gossia can be distinguished from Pilidiostigma by the single intra-marginal vein (double in Pilidiostigma), the small stigma (peltate in Pilidiostigma) and the non-glandular seed coat.