Corynocarpus similis
Corynocarpus similis is a species of tree in the family Corynocarpaceae, reaching in height. It is endemic to Vanuatu. It was first described by the British botanist William Hemsley in 1904 in his revision of the Corynocarpus genus. It is most closely related to C. laevigatus and C. disimilis, but differs due to its wider leaves and their shape. C. similiss seeds contain poisonous glucosides compounds of 3-nitropropionic acid, which are similar to those found in C. laevigatus.
Description
Corynocarpus similis is a species of tree in the family Corynocarpaceae, growing to a height of up to. Its leaves have an almost leathery texture and are long and wide. Its flowers are 10 mm in diameter. Its sepals are spherical or rounded in character. Its fruits are edible.Phytochemistry
Corynocarpus similiss seeds contain poisonous glucosides compounds of 3-nitropropionic acid, which are similar to those found in C. laevigatus.Taxonomy
Corynocarpus similis was first described by British botanist William Hemsley in 1904 in his revision of the Corynocarpus genus. C. similis is similar to C. laevigatus but differs due to their wider leaves and their shape.Corynocarpus species are found across the Pacific Islands and Australia, including: C. dissilmilis in New Caledonia, C. cribbianus in North Queensland and New Guinea, C. laevigatus in New Zealand, and C. rupestris in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland. In a 2000 study, rbcL sequencing reaveled that the species is most closely related to C. laevigatus and C. disimilis.
Etymology
The etymology of the genus name Corynocarpus derives from the Greek koryne, meaning 'club', and carpus, meaning 'fruit', translating in English to 'club fruit'. The specific epithet, similis, is a Latin word meaning 'similar' or 'like'. It is unclear why Hemsley chose this as the specific epithet since he does not provide an explanation. It has been hypothesised that it denotes a similarity between it and C. laevigatus.Distribution
Corynocarpus dissimilis is endemic to the Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands, New Britain, New Ireland, and Vanuatu.Works cited
BooksCategory:Endemic flora of Vanuatu
Category:Plants described in 1904