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Joinvillea plicata (Hook. f.) T. K. Newell & B. C. Stone [ Joinvilleaceae ]

Taxonomy Reports: ITIS | IPNI | IOPI

Samoan Name:
English Name:
Status: Indigenous
Habit: Graminoid

Whistler 11034

Indigenous to American Samoa, ranging from New Caledonia to Samoa, but the subspecies bryanii (Christoph.) T. K. Newell is endemic to Samoa. It is rare in American Samoa, where it is restricted to the summit of Ta‘ū, but it is more common in independent Samoa, where it has been collected numerous times, in montane to cloud forest, reported from 760 to 1700 m elevation. No uses or Samoan names have been reported for this species.

Large erect herb up to 5.5 m in height, with terete stems 4–8 mm in diameter and distil nodes 6–7 cm long; leaf sheath terete, with oblong auricles mostly less than 6 mm long, these rounded to acute at the tip and curving away from the ligule. Leaves alternate, simple, blade 52—74 cm long, narrowly acute at the base, attenuate at the tip; upper surface glabrous, plicate, lower surface covered with simple and multicellular hairs; margins entire; sessile, attached to the sheath. Inflorescence an erect (drooping in fruit) panicle 11–22 mm long, 3–4-branched; flowers green. Calyx (outer tepals) deltoid-lanceolate, 2.9–4.1 mm long, with an acute to acuminate tip. Corolla (inner tepals) similar to but smaller than the calyx, 2.5–3.3 mm long. Ovary superior, 3-celled, with 3 styles. Stamens 6, free. Fruit a red, subglobose 1–3-seeded drupe 4–6 mm long, subtended by the spreading, non-splitting tepals. Flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year.

Distinguishable by its erect, reed-like habit; large plicate leaves; tiny green flowers with six similar tepals; and red drupe subtended by non-splitting tepals.

TA‘Ū:
169. Whistler 11034—Rare in summit scrub at 750 m elevation.

Other Samoan Collections: SAVAII: (15). UPOLU(29). WITHOUT FURTHER LOCALITY: (2).

Other Collections:

Georeference: -14.315569, -170.701986

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