Shrub or tree, 2-20 m; young branches with a crisp, brownish tomentum or a fine, appressed pubescence which may be quickly lost. Leaves ovate or elliptic to narrowly elliptic, rarely suborbicular (Fer-. gusson I.), usually rather large (up to 32 by 11.5 cm), occasionally smaller to much smaller (5 by 2 cm on stunted trees, crater rim New Georgia Group), base cuneate to rounded, apex slightly apiculate; margin entire or rarely a few obscure dentations (even large serrations on saplings, and on flowering branches in Sudest I.), with either a tomentum of crisp brownish hairs which may persist on the undersurface of the leaves especially on the midrib and principal veins, or with a fine pubescence which is soon lost, the mature leaves then becoming glabrous; petiole stout, usually c. 5-18 mm, but occasionally shorter, pubescent or becoming glabrous. Monoecious. Inflorescences on leafy shoots or cauliflorous, variable in size and complexity, frequently with several main branches arising from a short peduncle, and with the lateral branches clustered at the nodes, the principal branches often flattened; all parts pubescent when young but the branches may become more or less glabrous; the panicles may contain only male flowers when the female flowers are in smaller inflorescences (even solitary) or the female flowers may occur in panicles of mainly male flowers (apparently usually on terminal branches). Male flowers ovoid or sub-globose, c. 3 mm ø, outside pubescent; tepals 4, rounded; stamen number very variable, usually in two whorls, the outer of larger stamens (3-)4(-5), 2-2.5 mm long, filament hairy, the inner of smaller stamens 1-4 or absent (male receptacles 4 mm ø with broad stamens occur in Rennell Is.). Female flowers subglobose or bowl-shaped, pubescent outside, pilose within, c. 3-6 mm ø at anthesis but swelling to c. 7-10 mm before the calyptra is shed; ostiole very small with 4 minute tepals; carpels numerous, c. 2 mm long, ovary hairy. Peduncle and receptacle usually becoming enlarged and woody in fruit with numerous drupes borne on long woody stipes, but frequently only few (even only 1) fruits ripen, when the receptacle and peduncle are little enlarged; receptacle up to 3 cm ø; stipes up to 14 mm. Drupes ovoid, 12-18 by 10-15 mm, verruculose.
Home