Fagraea Thunb.

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution

A genus of about 35 species, distributed from Indo-China, throughout Asia and Malesia to northern Australia and the western Pacific. About 11 species in New Guinea.

Morphology General Habit

Trees and shrubs to 10(–20) m tall, occasionally scrambling or epiphytic, or woody climbers

Morphology General Shoots

Vegetative shoot apices with creamy to yellowish resin

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with petiolar sheaths not or only slightly fused at the edges; base sometimes auricled

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal, cymose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bisexual, 5-merous, often strongly perfumed; calyx tubular, lobes shorter than the tube, imbricate, persistent in fruit; corolla tubular, usually white or cream, lobes shorter than tube, contorted; stamens 5, not or only slightly exserted from the corolla mouth, filaments geniculate, anthers basifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits; ovary superior, 1–2-locular, tapering apically, style terete, at least as long as corolla tube but not or only slightly exserted from the corolla mouth, stigma peltate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a fleshy berry, globose to ellipsoid, crowned by persistent style base, often orange, pink or red when ripe; with copious creamy pale yellowish latex in fruit epidermis and fruit wall; epidermis separating as a thin translucent film from pericarp

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ellipsoid-rounded.

Ecology

In New Guinea, Fagraea is found on riverbanks, on forest margins and open habitats including savannahs from sea level to about 3000 m.

Recognition

The genus can be recognised by the family characters, terminal inflorescences with relatively large, showy, flowers with only slightly or not exserted stamens and the relatively larger fleshy fruits, often brightly coloured, with copious yellowish latex in the fruit wall when bruised.