| Harmsiopanax ingens | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Araliaceae |
| Genus: | Harmsiopanax |
| Species: | H. ingens |
| Binomial name | |
| Harmsiopanax ingens Philipson | |
Harmsiopanax ingens of the Gensing, or Ivy Family (Araliaceae), is a very spiney palmlike mesocaul tree endemic to the montane rainforests of central New Guinea which bears a terminal rosette of deeply lobed, meter-wide (3.25-foot wide) dentate margined, peltate leaves (Sometimes not peltate), maple-like in shape, on equally long petioles. It ultimately attains a height of eighteen meters (59 feet), at which point it bears a huge panicle of flowers five meters (16.5 feet) high and equally wide; the largest above ground inflorescence of any dicot plant (although Caloncoba flagelliflora (Achariaceae; of West Africa) and Ficus geocarpa (Moraceae; of the Malay Peninsula) and Ficus unciata var. strigosa (also of Malaya) have larger subsurface panicles, each about nine meters (thirty feet) in length. H. ingens' panicles are very unusual; the ultimate twigs being spikes each bearing about fifty tiny umbels, each umbel with 8 to 20 minute flowers. So panicle, spike and umbel are all represented in a single inflorescence. Harmsiopanax ingens is monocarpic, and again the largest such plant among dicots. H. ingens was discovered in 1973 by W. R. Philipson. Its native name is "makua".
References
- ^ W.R. Philipson, "A Revision of Harmsiopanax" BLUMEA Vol. 21 (1973) # 1 pp. 84-85
- E. Gilg, "Flacourtiaceae", DIE NATURLICHEN PFLANZENFAMILIEN (2nd edition; 1925) Vol. 21 pp. 377-457.
- "Moraceae - Ficus", FLORA MALESIANA Vol. 17 Part 2 (2005) pp. 40 & 461.
- E.J.H. Corner, WAYSIDE TREES OF MALAYA (1952 edition) Vol. 1 p. 681.
- Philipson,"Revision" loc. cit.
- Philipson loc.cit.