Hydnophytum moseleyanum

Ecology & Habitat — Common in mangrove swamps and other coastal forests, rarely to 400 m. Tuber nearly always inhabited by ants.

Sumber: The tuberous epiphytes of the Rubiaceae 7: a revision of the genus Hydnophytum

Conservation status — Least Concern (LC). Whilst probably Vulnerable in some parts of its range, this taxon is spread across over 5 000 km with herbarium collections indicating over 50 locations (subpopulations). Other information: georeferenced collections 66, EOO c. 4 million km 2.

Sumber: The tuberous epiphytes of the Rubiaceae 7: a revision of the genus Hydnophytum

Tuber globose to bell-shaped, 6 by 5 to 30 by 45 cm; green to silvery-grey in colour, the surface smooth or areolate, occasionally with tubercle-like spines to 0.5 cm in length and 0.2 – 0.3 cm broad at their base. Entrance holes scattered, of two types: the majority small, lipped or unlipped holes 0.2 – 0.6 cm across; the remainder larger, funnel-like, 1 – 3 cm across. Cavities larger and more globose towards centre of tuber, finer, planar and more branched near the surface of the tuber. Cavity walls warted and smooth-walled. Stems numerous, branching, spreading to pendulous; to 1 m in length, 0.5 – 1.5 cm diam, internodes to 10 cm when sterile, 0.5 – 4 cm when fertile. Lamina variable in shape, most commonly subrotund-lanceolate, 3.5 by 1.5 to 13 by 7.5 (20 by 6.5) cm, also ranging from narrowly lanceolate (6.5 by 0.5 to 12 by 1.5 cm in H. agatifolium) to circular (6 by 5 cm in H. brassii); apex acute to rounded; base blunt; venation obscure; fleshy and leathery. Petiole 0.2 – 0.3 cm, rarely to 1 cm, pale green to white in colour, and this colouration characteristically extending as a slender triangle to a third or more of the length of the lamina; stipules triangular, papery, to 0.4 cm, caducous. Inflorescence paired, rarely 4 or 6, tubercle-like peduncles, extending with age and bearing flowers at their apex only; to 3 cm long, and 0.4 – 0.6 cm diam; bracts minute. Flowers [7] heterostylous. Calyx obovoid-cupuliform, somewhat narrowed at margin, to 1.5 mm. Corolla tube 4 – 7.5 mm, lobes 2.5 – 4.5 mm, with a broad ring of hairs within the mouth, and usually over lower half of lobes. Short-styled flowers with anthers to 2 mm, exserted; stigma 2 - fid, below anthers, within mouth of corolla tube. Long-styled flowers with anthers to 1.5 mm, scarcely within mouth of tube; stigma exserted. Pollen 3 - porate, 47 (43 – 55) μm diam. Fruit globose, to 6 by 5 mm, with prominent calyx remains. Pyrenes oblong-obovoid, 4.5 by 2.5 mm, abaxial surface with a central groove; apex truncate to notched, and with a flattened, filiform or more rarely inflated, central appendage to 2 mm long; base rounded.