Grewia papuana Burret

Burret, K.E. (1924) Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 9: 673. Type: Nordestliches Neuguinea: Ssigaum Hochland, Grenze des Wales .. (LAUTERBACH n. 2130 fruchtend 11 Juni 1896).

Dhaman; Mugilam Bush

Seldom exceeding 30 cm dbh. Lenticels tend to be in longitudinal lines. White granular stripes in the outer blaze. Blaze darkening on exposure.

Leaf blades about 5.5-15.5 x 2-5 cm. Stellate hairs visible with a lens on the stems, petioles and both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf blade; teeth quite numerous, 25 or more on each side. Stipules hairy, narrowly triangular, about 3 mm long. Twig bark strong and fibrous when stripped. Twigs stellate hairy when young. Stipules linear or subulate.

Inflorescence usually shorter than the leaves. Sepal outer surface densely clothed in stellate hairs. Calyx about 9-10 mm long. Petals about 1-2 mm long, much smaller than the sepals. Stamens 70-80. A glandular area is visible towards the base on the inner surface of each petal. This glandular area is surrounded on three sides by a ring of hairs.

Fruits about 5-10 mm long, often 2-lobed, sometimes reduced to one. Outer surface clothed in sparse stellate hairs.

Cotyledons elliptic to oblong, apex and base obtuse, about 9-14 x 7-9 mm, petioles about 2-3 mm long. Cotyledons 3-veined, the venation more obvious on the underside. Upper surface of the cotyledons clothed in short pale-coloured hairs. First pair of leaves ovate or elliptic, margins dentate to serrate with 10-13 teeth on each side; upper surface clothed mainly in simple hairs, lower surface clothed mainly in stellate hairs. At the tenth leaf stage: leaf blade elliptic to obovate, apex acuminate, base cordate, midrib raised on the upper surface; margin dentate to serrate with 18-50 teeth on each side. Lateral veins about 7 on each side of the midrib, the basal pair of veins extending about halfway up the leaf blade. All plant parts clothed in pale simple hairs with some stellate hairs interspersed. Stipules 2-3 mm long, linear and hairy. Seed germination time 19 to 75 days.

Occurs in CYP, NEQ and CEQ. Altitudinal range from sea level to 900 m. Grows in monsoon forest, drier, more seasonal rain forest and beach forest. Also occurs in New Guinea.