Flora of Papua New Guinea 
Conservation International New Ireland RAP Survey 
9977 Zingiberaceae 
Alpinia novae-pommeraniae K. Sch. 
New Ireland; near the junction of the Niagara and Weitin River (site 2); 
mature lowland rainforest, in and around transect 1; elev. 240 m, 
centered on coordinates 152 deg 56’ 242” E x 4 deg. 30.210’ S. 
with coll sequence starting Archidendron 9904; common terrestrial herb 
in forest understory; leaves coriaceous, puberulent (mainly on 
underside), adaxially dark shining green x abaxially medium green, 
lamina oblong-elliptic, typical blade 70 cm x 18 cm, apex abruptly 
caudate, base obtuse, long-stipitate on the sheath, the stalks c. 10.5 cm, 
hairy; sheath open on opposite side, ciliate on the margins, equipped 
with conspicuous ligules at the top, the ligules 12-13 mm long, red, bifid, 
hairy; leaf venation unicostate, lateral nervation fine, obliquely spreading 
at c. 30 deg., close and parallel, costa distinctly sunken above, 
prominent beneath; inflorescence axillary, racemose, c. 25 cm, shortly 
pedunculate, ail axes pubescent; flowers partly ensheathed by a large 
bract deeply cleft on the ventral side; calyx white, irregularly lobulate 
(approx. 5 lobes), coarsely hairy; petals 3, oblong, pubescent; labium 
dilate, c. 3 cm across, somewhat flabellate, spreading, yellow with a 
reddish center; stamens cream-colored, enfolding the style; style white; 
stigma exserted, capitate, also white; infructescence c. 40 cm long; fruits 
globose, 27 mm diameter, red, covered with stiff irritant hairs, valves 3, 
seeds numerous, angulate. 
coll: W. Takeuchi & J. Wiakabu 9977 
date: January 1994 
det.: WT 
Flora of Papua New Guinea 
Conservation International New Ireland RAP Survey 
9978 Araceae 
Homalomena sp. 
New Ireland; near the junction of the Niagara and Weitin River (site 2); 
mature lowland rainforest, in and around transect 1; elev. 240 m, centered 
on coordinates 152 deg 56’ 242" E x 4 deg. 30.210’ S. 
with coll sequence starting Archidendron 9904; robust 2 m herb on shady 
streambank, aromatic, glabrous; stems branching; leaves crowded at the 
apices, papyraceous, adaxial surface dark shining green, light green 
beneath; lamina broadly cordate, typical 41 cm (end to end) x 35.5 cm, 
apex acute, base cordate; petiole nearly 90 cm, not geniculate, often with 
green and fleshy cataphylls at the base; venation unicostate, penninerved, 
nervation striate; inflorescence numerous from the axils, peduncles 
flaccid, typically 25 cm long, subtended by white bracts; spathes slightly 
>80 mm long, tubular-inrolled, completely enclosing the spadix, tapering 
to the top, not constricted, green maturing to a white color; spadix sessile, 
female zone: ovoid, 19 mm long (wet measure) tesellated, stigma sessile 
and discoid, staminodes apparently lacking; male zone: 50 mm long (wet), 
narrower than the ovulate section, tapering gradually to the summit; no 
sterile appendix. 
several spadices bottled. 
coll: W. Takeuchi & J. Wiakabu 9978 
date: January 1994 
det.: WT 
