Ochrosia minima (Markgr.) Fosberg & Boiteau

Apocynaceae

Fosberg, F.R. et al. (1977) Adansonia ser. 2 17: 27.

Usually flowers and fruits as a shrub 1.5-3 m tall.

Twigs and petioles produce a milky exudate. Leaf blades about 7.5-13 x 2-4.2 cm. Petioles about 0.4-1.3 cm long, narrowly winged, channelled on the upper surface. Intramarginal vein quite close to the edge of the leaf blade, usually no more than 1 mm from the edge. Buds usually resinous.

Flowers about 15-17 mm diam. Corolla tube about 8-11 mm long, lobes about 6-8 mm long. Anthers inserted below the mouth of the corolla tube.

Fruits produce a milky exudate, each fruiting carpel about 12-15 x 6-10 mm, red and shiny. Seeds laterally flattened, partly winged. Embryo straight, radicle and cotyledons about the same length but the cotyledons flat and wider than the radicle.

Cotyledons elliptic, about 30 x 15 mm, +/- sessile. Base obtuse to cuneate. First pair of leaves glabrous. At the tenth leaf stage: all parts of the seedling completely glabrous. Leaf blade narrowly obovate to elliptic, apex shortly acuminate, base attenuate. Leaf blade and petiole produce a rapid, copious milky exudate when cut or broken. Midrib raised on the upper surface of the leaf blade. Lateral veins about 15-20 on each side of the midrib, veins forming loops just inside the blade margin. Short greenish-brown glandular (?) bristles visible between the petiole and the stem. Seed germination time 182 days.

Occurs in CYP, and occasionally recorded in the northern part of NEQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to about 400 m. Grows in rain forest, monsoon forest and beach forest. Also occurs in New Guinea.

Excavatia minima Markgr., Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 21: 199(1940), Type: Papua New Guinea, Tarara, Wassi Kussa River, Dec. 1936, L. J. Brass 8512; iso: BO, BRI. Bleekeria minima (Markgr.) Merr. & L.M.Perry, Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 24: 214(1943).