Benstonea misimaensis (St. John ex Stone 1978: 54 ) Callm., Buerki & A.P. Keim, 2014

Callmander, Martin W., Buerki, Sven, Keim, Ary P. & Phillipson, Peter B., 2014, Notes on Benstonea (Pandanaceae) from the islands of Halmahera, New Guinea and Sulawesi, Phytotaxa 175 (3), pp. 161-165 : 163

Benstonea misimaensis (St. John ex Stone 1978: 54) Callm., Buerki & A.P. Keim , comb. nov.

Basionym: Pandanus misimaensis St. John ex Stone (1978: 54) . Type:— PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Milne Bay Province: Misima Island , Mt Sisa , N slopes, 300 m, 19 July 1956, fr., Brass 27401 (holotype, L [ L0050582 ] image seen; isotype, A [ A00020059 ] image seen, LAE, S [S-G-406] image seen)

Notes: — Benstonea misimaensis is the smallest species in the ‘Dimissistyli’ group. The species is almost acaulescent, with the stem only attaining approximately 20 cm in height and grows in understory forest. This habit and habitat are similar to those of Benstonea ornithocephala ( Stone 1978: 64) Callmander & Buerki in Callmander & al. (2013: 59). The two species are nevertheless very easily to distinguish, B. ornithocephala having a terminal syncarp and the upper stylar part of drupe not deciduous at maturity is not a member of the ‘Dimissistyli’ group. Benstonea misimaensis is endemic to the Island of Misima, 120 km to the east of mainland Papua New Guinea, in the Louisiade Archipelago, whereas B. ornithocephala is endemic to Bird’s Head Peninsula in West Papua Province ( Indonesia). Both species are only known from the type collection.