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  • 1 month later...

The above description notes that stems are often galled but I did not notice any examples; however, note the galled roots on this specimen.  I have seen images of galled roots on other hydnophytums.

74c Hydnophytum longistylum. Note the unusual roots. Tunurua..JPG]

post-3-0-51747800-1395884501_thumb.jpg

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Bonjour

 

difficult to see

 

I have on the herbarium sheets : 2 leaves form for a same specie call  longistylum

 

may be  H.stewartii = H.longistylum the leave apex on H.stewartii seem more pointed  , no ?

 

and other is very close  H.vanuatuensis .

 

if you want the herbarium sheet for these 4 leaves form , tell me.

 

here on your picture  the apex leave are more or less pointed , no ?

 

you have not the flower macro  with the stigma-anther and ring hair position?

 

jeff

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Yes  Jeff, I would like to see the herbarium images.  Regarding possible identifications, I think without more detailed field studies of the 'species' natural variations, many current names should be considered only as temporary identifications.  DNA studies and cross breeding experiments may also provide new classifications.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I can find no record of H. vanuatuense ever being published, so presumably it is a nomen nudum.  Of interest is that it was originally compared to the Solomon Island's H. longistylum but it is now accepted as a new species.  Perhaps an indication that H. longistylum will also be accepted as a definite species and not lumped into something else.  

From <http://plants.jstor.org/specimen/k000772005> Type of Hydnophytum vanuatuense Huxley & Jebb, collector, Green P. S. 5/8/1971. #1274. Locality, Erromanga, in the vicinity of the Nouankao Camp, (Erromanga Island) Vanuatu, altitude 150m.  Past  Identifications recorded on the herbarium sheet, Hydnophytum longistylum Becc. Verified by Green, P.S. 05/1974. Type of Hydnophytum  vanuatuense Huxley & Jebb ; verified by Jebb, M., 12/1991 & again by Huxley, C.R., 1994. Notes on the sheet "Epiphyte with chambered tuber 30 cm. across; leaves palish green, ± succulent; flowers white, only one or two, sunk in the remains of old flowers and developing fruits; rain forest occasional (no ants seen because the host tree had fallen?"

 

It is thirty years since this specimen was collected and it seems no description has been published.  I think that if it had been as popular as for example an orchid or a cactus, a description would have been published decades ago. 

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  • 1 year later...

An international group spearheaded by Guadalcanal islanders is currently doing a survey of high altitude plants in the forests of Guadalcanal:

 

https://www.idigbio.org/content/discovering-new-plant-species-guadalcanals-mountains

 

It will be interesting to see if specimens of Hydnophytum longistylum are refound - and what other species might show up, perhaps H. kajewskii?

 

UPDATE:  The expidition took place in Sept. of 2015.  A preliminary report is here:

https://www.usp.ac.fj/news/story.php?id=1955

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Bonjour

 

H.hellwigii  seem present to Guadalcanal   see the herbaria sheet  to Bishop museum

 

some Myrmecodia and perhaps some Anthorrhiza by chance , this country have a lot of islands some time little or no populated.

 

this project  is very interesting , if you have one day the result  , sent us ;)

 

jeff

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The name Hydnophytum hellwigii is almost certainly a misidentification for a Solomon Island's collection. Indeed, the Bishop Museum specimen with this name is from the Atzera Range in Morobe Province on the north coast of PNG.

 

http://www.gbif.org/species/2895794

 

http://nsdb.bishopmuseum.org/TaxonName/1666185727

 

Incidentally, this link supplies an excellent description of H. hellwigii with some habitat notes.

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