Flora of Papua New Guinea 
Lae National Herbarium 
10153 Verbenaceae 
Geunsia pentandra (Roxb.) Merr. 
East Sepik Province, Waskuk Hills, base of buttress ridge above 
Garuka village (from the foot track towards Waskuk), regrowth in 
alluvial forest, elev. 100’ altimeter (30 m); near 4 deg. 11’ S lat. x 142 
deg. 44’ E long. 
common foothill and flatland species; 5-10 m treelet with mealy yellow- 
brown indumentum on most parts, hairs simple or stellate; stems 
terete, densely hairy; leaves opposite and alternate, papyraceous, 
adaxial surface yellow green x paler beneath; inflorescence axillary, 
long-peduncled, villous throughout, paniculiform, ultimately cymose; 
flowers pale purple; fruits subglobose, epicarp red. 
Waskuk name = ’simanga.’ The bark can be used as a mustard 
substitute when chewing buai (producing the red coloration when in 
combination with the Areca nut, but apparently without the same 
narcotic effect as the real Piper betel). ‘Simanga’ is also applied to 
Callicarpa longifolia and to the rather dissimilar genus Aceratium. 
NCI screening code: OFCZ-0882-S, -0883-T, -0884-U, -0885-V, -0886- 
W; corresponding to RT, LF+inflorescence+RTWD+BR, BK+sapwood, 
SWD, BR; 5 herbarium duplicates distributed through NCI. 
coll. W. Takeuchi and J. Regalado 10153 
(= Regalado no. 1390) 
date: June 25, 1995 
det.: WT, May 1997 
LAE set 
Flora of Papua New Guinea 
Lae National Herbarium 
10154 Euphorbiaceae 
Macaranga brachytricha Airy Shaw 
keys to this result on Whitmore (in Airy Shaw) 
East Sepik Province, Waskuk Hills, buttress ridge above Garuka village 
(from the foot track towards Waskuk), advanced regrowth in foothill 
forest, elev. 200-250’ est. (60-75 m); near 4 deg. IT S lat. x 142 deg. 
44’ E long. 
common species in secondary growth; 10 m tree; outer bark smooth; 
twigs and petioles glaucous; leaf scars conspicuous, raised, elongate- 
triangular; stipules decurved, firm, persisting, mostly glabrescent; 
leaves papyraceous, adaxial surface dark dull green and with hairs 
fasciculate or minutely stellate x abaxially glaucescent; petioles shining, 
terete, glabrous; bracts fimbriate, yellowish; capsules glossy green, 
epicarp laxly provided with flexible spiniform protuberances, the 
processes puberulous and aglandular. 
Waskuk name = ‘nogunem bas;’ use if any, not recorded. 
NCI screening code: OFCZ-0887-X, -0888- Y, -0889-Z, -0890-A, -0891- 
C; corresponding to LF+TW+BR, RT+RTWD, BR, SBK+sapwood, 
SWD; 3 herbarium duplicate sets distributed through NCI. 
coll. W. Takeuchi and J. Regalado 10154 
(= Regalado no. 1393) 
date: June 25, 1995 
det.: WT, May 1997 
LAE set 
