Revision of the Genus Pandanus Stickman, Part 6 
New Pandanus Species from Queensland, Australia 
Harold St. John 1 
This part of the author’s revision of the genus 
Pandanus is a collection of new species, all from 
the tropical northeastern corner of Queensland. 
They were all collected by L. J. Brass. 
Pandanus sphaericus sp. nov. (sect. 
Australibrassia) 
Figs. 23-24 
NOM. VERN.: "maia.” 
DIAGNOSIS HOLOTYPI: Arbor 6-7 m. aka, 
trunco gracile "eo et ramis cum spinis brevibus 
conicis, ramis reflexis, radicibus fulturosis paucis 
2-3 cm. longis,” foliis 1.5 m. longis 3 cm. latis 
subcoriaceis gladiatis in apice subulato longiter 
attenuatis, puncto 10 cm. ex apice 1.5 mm. lato, 
basi inermi, sed ex 5 cm. marginibus cum sub- 
ulato-serris pallidis 0.5-1 mm. longis 2-4 mm. 
distantibus, midnervio inermi, in regio mediali 
marginibus cum serris 0. 5-0.7 mm. longis 1.5-3 
mm. distantibus apicibus subulatis, midnervio 
infra cum serris 0.2-0. 3 mm. longis 2-7 mm. 
distantibus adscendentibus, proxima apice mar- 
ginibus et midnervio infra cum serris 0.2-0. 3 
mm. longis 2-3 mm. distantibus adscendentibus 
apicibus subulatis, pedunculo 26 cm. longo cur- 
vato cum bracteis foliosis paucis, syncarpio 12 
cm. diametro subgloboso pendente circa 15 pha- 
langibus ferentibus, eis 4.3-4.6 cm. longis 3.9- 
4.3 cm. latis 3. 1-3.2 cm. crassis suborbicularibus 
sed subcompressis 4-5-angulosis in sicco pallide 
brunneis exlucidis laevibus, lateribus valde cur- 
vatis parte 2 A supera libera, apice truncato, su- 
turis lateralibus nullis, sinibus centralibus api- 
calibus 4-5 mm. profundis anguste V-formatis, 
carpelis 9-11, apicibus anguste pyramidalibus 
sed cum regione proximali truncato et dimidio 
proximali duro brunneo lucido ad stigmatam 
dirigito, stigmatibus 1.5 mm. longis ellipticis ad 
ovatis sulcatis in apice latere proximo, suturis 
proximis Vi-Va ad fondam extentis, endocarpio 
1 Botanist, B. P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii. 
Manuscript received August 15, I960. 
submediali 2.5-3 cm. longo osseoso pallide 
muris lateralibus 4-5 mm. crassis, seminibus 
13-17 mm. longis 4 mm. diametro ellipsoidis, 
mesocarpio supero caverna unica 1 cm. longa 
cum fibris multis traversis formanto, mesocarpio 
basali fibroso et carnoso. 
DIAGNOSIS OF holotype: Tree 6-7 m. tall; 
trunk slender, it "and the branches studded with 
short conical thorns; branches down-turned; 
prop roots few, 2-3 dm. long”; leaves 1.5 rn. 
long, 3 cm. wide, subcoriaceous, rapier-like and 
tapering from the base to the long subulate tip 
which 10 cm. down is only 1.5 mm. wide, the 
base unarmed, but beginning 5 cm. from the 
base the margins with subulate serrations, pale, 
0.5-1 mm. long, 2-4 mm. apart; the nearby mid- 
rib unarmed; at the midsection the margins with 
subulate-tipped serrations 0. 5-0.7 mm. long, 
1.5-3 mm. apart; the midrib below with ascend- 
ing serrations 0.2-0. 3 mm. long, 2-7 mm. apart; 
near the tip the margins and midrib below with 
subulate-tipped ascending serrations 0.2-0. 3 mm. 
long, 2-3 mm. apart; peduncle 26 cm. long, 
curving, with a few leafy bracts; syncarp pend- 
ent, 12 cm. in diameter, subglobose, of about 15 
phalanges, these 4. 3-4.6 cm. long, 3-9— 4.3 cm. 
wide, 3- 1-3.2 cm. thick, suborbicular, but some- 
what compressed, 4-5 -angled, when dried light 
brown, dull, smooth, the 4-5 sides strongly curv- 
ing, upper 2 A free; the apex truncate, lateral 
sutures none; central apical sinuses 4-5 mm. 
deep, narrow V-shaped; carpels 9-11, the apices 
narrow pyramidal with a proximal truncation 
and its inner half leading to the stigma hard, 
brown, shining; stigmas 1.5 mm. long, elliptic 
to ovate, creased, at tip of steep proximal face 
of apex; below it the proximal suture running 
Vj-Va way to valley bottom; endocarp subme- 
dian, 2.5-3 cm. long, bony, pale throughout, the 
lateral margins 4-5 mm. thick; seeds 13-17 
mm. long, 4 mm. in diameter, ellipsoid; upper 
mesocarp a single cavity 1 cm. long, with many 
strong longitudinal fibers; basal mesocarp fi- 
brous and fleshy. 
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