Hydnophytum radicans

Ecology & Habitat — In open savannah to closed forest, from sea level to 1 200 (– 1 800) m, then often a low-level epiphyte. With or without ants, but since there is probably more than one species involved in this complex, each may exhibit a somewhat different ecology in their relationship with ants.

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

Conservation status — Least Concern (LC). Found across the whole island of New Guinea with herbarium collections indicating over 45 locations (subpopulations). Other information: georeferenced collections 72, EOO over 1 million km 2.

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

Tuber variable, globose to fusiform-cylindric; up to 60 cm broad; surface smooth, grey to brown. Entrance holes few, lipped. Tubers either small and then fleshier with small cavity volume, or larger with very thin cavity walls and large spiral cavities. Stems 1 to several, to 150 cm or more, sparsely branched, thickening towards base; internodes 1.5 – 15 by 0.2 – 2 cm. Lamina lanceolate to lanceolate-obovate; 12 by 3 to 27 by 10 cm; apex acuminate, acumen c. 1 cm, rarely to 2 cm, rarely apex acute-acuminate; base rounded to cuneate, attenuate to petiole; midrib occasionally prominent; veins 7 – 12, oblique; papery to leathery; glossy to dull green. Petiole 1 – 3 cm long, scarcely winged; stipules triangular, to 0.4 cm. Inflorescence variable; a pair of dichotomously branched (sometimes asymmetrically so) peduncles, branching 1 – 4 times; terminal branches (numbering 2 – 8), which are fasciculated and bract-covered, bearing flowers; this terminal portion continues to produce flowers ultimately becoming quite long; in some populations entire inflorescence falling after 4 or 5 nodes from apex; entire inflorescence from 1 – 15 cm overall, and 0.1 – 0.5 cm thick at base; rarely bearing a single flower in first or later bifurcations. Flowers [20] not heterostylous. Calyx 1 – 1.5 mm entire. Corolla 4 – 7.5 mm overall; lobes 1.5 – 2 mm; with a ring of hairs in throat. Anthers 1 – 2 mm; at mouth of tube, 1 / 2 exserted. Stigma 2 - fid, at level of anthers. Fruit globose, to 7 by 5 mm. Pyrenes 2 – 4, obovoid to oblong, to 4 (– 5) by 2 mm, flattened; apex notched, blunt or rounded; base rounded.