Rockia Heimerl, Oesterr. Bot. Z. 63: 289. 1913.

Rossetto, Elson Felipe Sandoli & Caraballo-Ortiz, Marcos A., 2020, Splitting the Pisonia birdcatcher trees: re-establishment of Ceodes and Rockia (Nyctaginaceae, Pisonieae), PhytoKeys 152, pp. 121-136 : 121

Rockia Heimerl, Oesterr. Bot. Z. 63: 289. 1913.

Type.

R. sandwicensis (Hillebr.) Heimerl.

Description.

Habit and phyllotaxy. Dioecious trees or shrubs, leaves (sub)opposite or (sub)verticillate clustered at apex of branches.

Inflorescence. Axillary, terminal, arranged in compound cymes.

Flowers. Unisexual (with vestiges of another sex), sessile, with one bract and two bracteoles present at the base, male perianth campanulate, stamens 10-26, exserted (Fig. 2G ), female perianth tubular or fusiform (Fig. 2H ), stigma fimbriate, exserted.

Anthocarp . Leathery, elongated fusiform, with 5 ribs covered by inconspicuous glands excreting sticky substances (Figs 2I , 3F ).

Pollen. Tricolpate, with 3 apertures distant 120° from each other.

Perisperm . Abundant, gelatinous.

Figures

Figure 2. Field images for representative species of Ceodes, Pisonia and Rockia (Nyctaginaceae) from the Pacific Islands A Ceodes taitensis. Branch with pistillate flowers B Ceodes brunoniana. Ripe anthocarps (fruits) exuding sticky secretions (arrow) C, D Ceodes umbellifera. Branch with ripe anthocarps (C) and staminate flowers at anthesis (D) E, F Pisonia grandis R. Br. Staminate flowers at anthesis (E) and ripe anthocarps (F) G-I Rockia sandwicensis. Staminate (G) and pistillate (H) flowers at anthesis and ripe anthocarps (I) Photo credits: A, F by J. - Y. Meyer B by L. Jensen C by C. - I Peng D, E, I by F. Starr and K. Starr G, H by K. Magnacca.

Figure 3. Comparison of size and morphology of ripe fruits (anthocarps) amongst members of Ceodes, Pisonia and Rockia (Nyctaginaceae). The outline of infructescences are shown below each anthocarp A Ceodes brunoniana (based on St. John 11272 (US- 01258187 )) B Ceodes longirostris (based on Brass 2972 (HUH- 00046918 )). Note the extremely long rostrum at the tip of the anthocarp (indicated with an arrow) C Ceodes umbellifera (based on Foxworthy 593 (US- 03661041 )) D Pisonia aculeata L. (based on Caraballo 3464 (IJ )) E Pisonia grandis (based on Fosberg 24357 (US- 00959523 )) F Rockia sandwicensis (based on Lorence 6305 (US- 00452890 )). Illustration credit: Ramos Sepulveda.