Squamellaria guppyana (Bougainville Island, PNG)
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Product information "Squamellaria guppyana (Bougainville Island, PNG)"
Squamellaria guppyana
Squamellaria guppyana (Becc.) Chomicki is an epiphytic species of the family Rubiaceae, distributed on Bougainville (Papua New Guinea) and throughout the Solomon Islands. It inhabits mangroves, riverine forests, and other humid tropical lowland forests from sea level to approximately 600 m elevation. Throughout parts of its range, the species occurs sympatrically with Squamellaria kajewskii.
The species develops an oblong-ovoid caudex up to 30 cm long, bearing numerous small entrance holes arranged in concentric rings. These openings lead into a complex system of interconnected chambers that are typically occupied by various ant species. A distinctive feature of S. guppyana is the presence of cork-like plugs that can seal individual entrance holes. As a result, unoccupied caudices become watertight and are capable of storing rainwater, a unique adaptation within the Hydnophytinae. Additional diagnostic characters include the thin lanceolate to obovate leaves and the large, extensively branched inflorescences, which resemble those of the genus Psychotria. The combination of a chambered caudex with sealable entrance holes and the characteristic inflorescence readily distinguishes S. guppyanafrom related species.