Rhyticaryum elegans G.Schellenb.

Fig. 31.10–31.17

Material examined

Specimen used for endocarp and fruit description

MELANESIA • “ Papouasie ” [Papuasia]; 1908; R. Schlechter 18681; P [MNHN-P-P04513302].

Description

FRUIT. Epicarp strigose, with yellow simple hairs with granular ornamentation; mesocarp 50–72 µm thick when dry. Length 16.3–18.0 mm, width 8.2–9.0 mm, thickness 5–7 mm.

ENDOCARP. Brown, length ca 15.2 mm, width ca 7.2 mm, thickness ca 5.8 mm. Keel surrounding the endocarp in the plane of symmetry.Apex acute, asymmetrical in lateral view; base rounded, symmetrical. Outer surface of the endocarp ridged, with 2–4 main longitudinal ridges; the median ridge reaching the point of the base. Ridges rounded and thin, with a median channel, almost diffuse but enclosing ca 6 longitudinal polygonal areoles with freely ending ridgelets. Endocarp possessing a symmetrical pair of pores positioned eccentrically and subapically on the median ridge. Primary vascular bundle positioned outside the endocarp wall. Endocarp wall 174–246 µm thick excluding ridges (280–370 µm thick including ridges). Endocarp wall with three cell layers: outermost layer with 0–2 row(s) of isodiametric to anticlinally oriented cells, cells 15.9–23.5 µm in length; middle layer with 8–10 rows of anticlinally oriented cells, cells 18.0– 20.9 µm in length; innermost layer with one row of periclinally oriented cells, cells 6.7–11.0 µm in width, lining the locule surface with regularly spaced and large papillae; papillae 9.1–20.7 µm (av. 15.1 µm) in diameter, 500–900 papillae (av. 637 papillae) per 0.25 mm 2.