Distribution Map
Description (Barlow 1974)
Sogerianthe sessiliflora (Dans.) Dans. Verh. Akad. Wet. Amst. afd. Natuurk. 29: 106 (1933); Amyema sessiliflora Dans. Bull. Jard. bot. Buitenz. 11: 346, illus. Fig. 9, bb-cc (1931); Loranthus hedraeanthus Krause in Engl. & Krause, Pfl. Fam.ed. 2 16b: 163 (1935). Type-New Guinea, Eastern Division, Karaudi, Brass 1377, 12.v.1926 (B, lectosyntype, not seen, probably destroyed; K); New Guinea, Morobe District, Siu R., 100 m alt., Schlechter 19217, 10.iv.1909 (B, syntype, not seen, probably destroyed; K; L 93443188).
Sogerianthe ferruginea Dans. Blumea 3: 49, illus. Fig. 1, a, b (1938). Type-New Guinea, Morobe District, Ogeramnang to Malang, 1400 m alt., 17.xii.1936, Clemens 4646 (B, not seen, probably destroyed).
Glabrous or rarely the young stems, undersides of the leaves, inflorescences and flowers rusty-tomentose. Leaves nearly sessile or with a petiole up to 1 cm long; lamina broad lanceolate to ovate, 6-14 by 3-5 cm, attentuate at the base, acuminate and acute (rarely obtuse) at the apex. Inflorescences several at the nodes; 'pedicel' 0.5-2 mm long, usually visibly articulate near the middle but often with the part below the articulation obsolete and thus apparently not articulate; bracts 2, free, conspicuous, orbicular, acuminate and acute, broadly imbricate and more or less enclosing the calyx, 2-4 by 2-3 mm. Calyx cylindrical or barrel-shaped, 2-3 mm long; limb membranous, erect, entire or denticulate, up to 2 mm long. Corolla in the mature bud robust, cylindrical, 25-35 mm long; petals in the open flower gamo-petalous to just below the middle. Anthers 3-4 mm long, slightly longer than the free parts of the filaments. Fruit urceolate, 10 mm long, crowned by the persistent calyx limb.
Occurrence. Eastern New Guinea east of long. 147°E., New Britain and Guadalcanal (Fig. 8), sea level to 2230 m altitude.
Representative Specimens.
EASTERN NEW GUINEA: Yodda R., c. 1350 m alt., Carr 13917, 21.xii.1935 (CANB; L, cited with the description of Sogerianthe ferruginea Dans.); Mt. Dayman, Mime Bay Dist., N. slopes, 2230 m alt., Brass 22511, 25.v.1953 (CANB).
NEW BRITAIN: Pirilongi Village, Kandrian, c. 400 m alt., Sayers NGF 21986, 14.iii.1965 (AD).
GUADALCANAL Rere R., 3 miles inland, Lipaqeto BSIP 3380, 21.xi.1963 (K; L).
The three specimens distinguished by Danser
(1938) as S. ferruginea are unusual in having a copious
rusty tomentum, but in all other respects fall within the range
of variation of S. sessiliflora. They were collected at
middle elevations on the New Guinea mainland. If further collections
reveal this form to be geographically discrete it may deserve
subspecific rank.
Illustrations
Sogerianthe sessiliflora (as Sogerianthe feruginea). A - flowering twig. B - pedicel with bracts, calyx, and style. From Danser (1938).
Sogerianthe sessiliflora (as Amyema sessiliflora). Flower bud and longitudinal section of the corolla of a younger bud. From Danser (1931).
Photographs
Habit of mistletoe [DLN 4467] on host tree. Nanduo village, Morobe District, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dan Nickrent.
Haustorial connection and epicortical root of mistletoe [DLN 4467], Nanduo village, Morobe District, Papua New Guinea. Photo by Dan Nickrent.
Same as above, showing sessile immature inflorescences.
Sogerianthe sessiliflora
updated 20 January 2007