Culcasia brevipetiolata
Plant climbing, about 1 m long (according to the collector’s notes, but probably several metres long). Stem with long internodes, these 5 – 6 cm long and 2 – 3 mm in diam., a little thicker below the petioles. Leaves many on the shoot; petiole short, 1.8 – 2.6 cm long, including a sheath of 1.6 – 2 × 0.4 – 0.5 cm sometimes with short hairs in upper part, flattened, apex ± round, petiole above the sheath only 3 – 4 mm long and canaliculate with sharp margins, 1.5 – 1.8 mm in diam. Leaf blade ovate, oblique, thinly leathery (after the collector’s notes), 7 – 8 × 4 – 5 cm, base rounded to subcordate, apex acute to shortly cuspidate; venation reticulate, midvein strong, primary lateral veins 3 – 5(– 6) on each side, running towards the apex, second order veins thinner and reticulated, third order veins much thinner and somewhat inconspicuous. Cataphylls c. 1 × 0.5 cm, apex acute. Peduncle 1.3 – 1.5 cm long and 1.5 – 1.8 mm in diam. Spathe not constricted, ± boat-shaped, pale green-yellow (after the collector’s notes), 1.2 – 1.5 cm long, apex acute. Spadix c. 1 cm long and c. 3 mm in diam.; female zone 3 – 4 mm long and c. 4 mm in diam., female flowers 8 – 9 in two spiral rows; male zone 6 – 7 mm long and 3 – 4 mm in diam. Flowers unisexual; male flowers 1.6 – 2 mm in diam. (viewed from above), consisting of 3 – 4 stamens; female flowers 1.8 – 2 mm in diam. (viewed from above), ovary depressed-globose, 1.6 – 2 mm in diam., stigma sessile, 1.2 – 1.4 mm in diam., slightly lobed, dark coloured. Berry depressed-globose, 8 – 10 mm in diam., orange-red (after the collector’s notes), with persistent stigma remnant.
Planta scandens, glabra; internodia longa; petioli relative breves (1.8 – 2.6 cm longi), vagina longa (1.8 – 2 cm longa) et lata (0.4 – 0.5 cm lata); lamina foliorum ovata, basi rotundata et apice cuspidata; ovaria depresse globulata, stigma sessile; flos masculinus 3 – 4 staminibus instructus. Aliae species scandentes petiolis brevibus instructae a specie nova laminis foliorum rotundatis (Culcasia rotundifolia), laminis foliorum anguste ellipticis (C. lanceolata), laminis foliorum late ovatis (C. parviflora), internodiis hirsutis petiolis hirsutis laminis subtus hirsutis (C. loukandensis) differunt.
This species is only known from the type collection made in NW Gabon.