Callicarpa pedunculata R.Br.

Bramley, G.L.C. 2013. The genus Callicarpa (Lamiaceae) in the Philippines. Kew Bulletin 68: 369. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-013-9456-y

Type

Type: Australia, Coast of Northern Queensland, 1802 – 5, R. Brown s.n. [J. J. Bennett 2331] (lectotype BM, selected by Munir (1982: 30) isolectotypes E, K, MEL n.v., NSW n.v.).

Morphology General Habit

Shrub to 5 m

Morphology Stem

Stems with an indumentum of dense plumose hairs, the surface ± obscured when young, the indumentum thinning as stems mature, a slight interpetiolar ridge resembling a stipule scar present

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, petiolate blades elliptic to narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, (2.5) 4.5 – 13.5 × (1.4) 2 – 6.5 cm, margins serrate to serrate-dentate, the teeth often with mucronate tips, apex shortly acuminate to acuminate to almost caudate, base shortly attenuate, cuneate, obtuse, less often rounded or truncate, sometimes slightly uneven, upper surface with erect stellate and branched hairs, evenly spaced, lower surface with an indumentum of dense stellate, branched and plumose hairs, either so interwoven and matted the lamina almost obscured, or less interwoven and the lamina visible, yellow sessile glands visible on the surface, sometimes with peltate scales scattered near the leaf base petioles (3) 5 – 12 mm, indumentum as stems

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence axillary, or inserted 1 – 2 mm above axil, peduncles 8 – 21 mm long, indumentum as stem bracts linear, 1 – 3 mm long, inconspicuous pedicels 1 – 2 mm long, indumentum as stems bracteoles as bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx cupular, 0.5 – 1 mm long with 4 shallow to narrowly triangular lobes marked with thickened tips, outer surface with stellate and branched hairs, rarely so thick the surface obscured, also with yellow sessile glands, inner surface ± glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla purple, 2 – 3 mm long, divided into 4 lobes c. 0.5 mm long, the edges of the lobes with tiny papillae, outer surface glabrous, rarely with a few stellate hairs on the lobes, also with yellow sessile glands, inner surface ± glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4 exserted for 1.5 – 3 mm, filaments 4 – 5 mm long, arising near the base of the corolla tube, anthers elliptic, 0.3 – 0.75 mm long with numerous yellow sessile glands where they attach to the connective, dehiscing through longitudinal slits

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma capitate, c. 1 mm wide, surface glandular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit green, maturing purple or reddish-purple, c. 2 mm wide when mature (on dry specimen), outer surface glandular, subtended by calyx 4 1-seeded locules breaking up into 4 1-seeded pyrenes.

Distribution

Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Hainan, China, Taiwan, Okinawa island, Moluccas, Philippines, New Guinea, Australia. Map 5.

Ecology

Secondary and primary forest forest edges and grasslands.

Conservation

LC across its distribution.

Note

Callicarpa pedunculata is one of few species in the genus with an extensive distribution in the Flora Malesiana region, although it is not present in Sumatra, Java and Borneo, unlike the two mostly widely distributed species, C. pentandra and C. longifolia. As found in the latter two species, there is significant variation in leaf shape within C. pedunculata, as well as a large number of synonyms. Callicarpa pedunculata is most likely to be confused with C. caudata or C. rubella, from which it differs by its generally wider leaves and lack of glandular hairs it also bears a resemblance to C. longifolia, but its inflorescence is more compact, its petioles shorter relative to its peduncles, and its fruits mature purple-pink, not white. C. blancoi is newly treated as a synonym here, but does represent a form with leaves smaller than is typical (e.g. L. Escritor Bur. Sci. 21155 leaves 2.5 × 1.5 cm, peduncles 5 mm). C. obtusifolia is tentatively placed into synonymy here: although its indumentum is thicker than is typical, including plumose hairs, and its leaf apex is barely acuminate, it shares all other characters with C. pedunculata. Munir (1982) lists Callicarpa cuspidata as a synonym of C. pedunculata, citing an un-numbered Heyne collection as its type, although he did not see the specimen and is unsure of its location. Given this uncertainty, I cannot be sure to what this name applies, so am listing C. cuspidata under doubtful names here (see also under C. caudata).