Anthorrhiza echinella (Perikles Pass, PNG)
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Product information "Anthorrhiza echinella (Perikles Pass, PNG)"
Anthorrhiza echinella
Anthorrhiza echinella Huxley & Jebb is an epiphytic species of the family Rubiaceae, found in the montane rainforests of eastern Papua New Guinea. It grows at medium to high altitudes as an epiphyte on forest trees and forms a spherical, densely spiny caudex with a system of cavities inhabited by ants.
A characteristic feature of this species is the grey caudex, up to about 25 cm wide, with numerous irregularly star-shaped branches of spines. The species name echinella is derived from the Greek echinos (‘sea urchin’) and refers to the strikingly spiny appearance of the caudex. The sparsely branched shoots bear large, lanceolate to obovate, dark green leaves with a distinctly prominent midrib. In contrast to most other spiny species of the genus, the spines on the shoots are largely confined to the inflorescences. The depressed inflorescences bear whitish-green flowers. The fruits are orange to red-coloured berries.