Hoya dolichosparte Schlechter 1916
Type description:
In Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt 35/2 (1916) 13-14. "Neu Asclepiadaceen von Sumatra und Celebes" R. Schlechter. Hoya dolichosparte Schltr. n. sp. Epiphytica, ramosa; ramis filiformibus, elongatis, laxe foliatis, glabris, lenticellis numerosis verruculosis; foliis patulis, petiolatis, late ovalibus, obtusis , nervis primariis 5 supra prominulis, utrinque glabris, 9 —13.5 cm longis; medio fere 6.5—9 cm latis, petiolo carnoso 1.5—2 cm longo; cymis umbelliformibus multifloris, pedunculo pedicellisque glabris. c. 2 cm longis; floribus in genere mediocribus; calycis foliolis ovatis, obtusis, glabris, extus sparsim verruculosis, 2 mm longis; corolla subrotata, c. 1.3 cm diametiente, usque supra medium fida, extus glabra intus minutissime papilloso-puberula, lobis late ovatis, breviter acuminatis; coronae foliolis dorso leviter adscendentibus, superne ovato-ellipticis apice breviter et obtuse acuminatis, extus subacutis, lateribus incrassato-rotundatis, antheris paulo brevioribus; polliniis oblique oblongoides, erectis, translatoribus perbrevibus triangulis, retinaculo rhomboideo polliniis fere 4-plo breviore. Celebes: Auf groszen Bäumen bie Toli-Toli, c. 10 m u. d. M. (R. Schltr. Nr. 20642 — blühend im Januar 1910). Eine Art aus der Verwandtschaft der Hoya bandaensis Schltr., aber mit weiszlichen Blüten mit weiszer. in der Mitte roter Korona.
Translation: See below.
Other literature:
In The Asclepiadaceous Works of Friedrich Richard Rudolf Schlechter (1992) 30. A. Nicholas. H. dolichosparte Schlechter (Schlechter 20642) – 47.
In Dr. Schlechter’s Hoya Species (1993) 54. R. D. Kloppenburg. (Translation of German text). Hoya dolichosparte Schlechter. Epiphytic, branched, branches threadlike, elongate, loosely leaved, glabrous with numerous wart like lenticels; leaves outspread, petiolate, broadly oval, obtuse, with 5 prominent primary nerves above, both sides glabrous 9-13.5 cm. long, almost 6.5-9 cm. wide at the middle, petiole fleshy 1.5-2 cm. long; cymes shaped like umbels, many flowered, peduncle and pedicels glabrous about 2 cm. long; flowers in general mid sized; with the lobes of the calyx ovate, obtuse, glabrous, outside sparsely wart like, 2mm. long; corolla somewhat rotate, about 1.3 cm. in diameter, 5 lobed all the way to above the middle, outside glabrous, inside minutely papillose-puberulous, lobes widely ovate, briefly acuminate; with the scales of the corona at the outside slightly ascending, above ovate-elliptic, tip short and obtuse, acuminate, outer somewhat acute, lateral thickly rounded, anthers small short; pollinia obliquely oblong, erect, translators very small triangular, retinaculum rhomboid, nearly 4 times smaller then the pollinia.
Celebes: on large trees near Toli-Toli, about 10 meters altitude (R. Schlechter #20642-- blooming in January 1910). A species from the Hoya bandaensis Schltr. Group but with strikingly long, very high climbing branches and whitish flowers with a white corona with a red center.
Published by Dr. R. Schlechter in: 1916 Beihefte zum Botanischen Centralblatt V.35 #2 p.13-14 "Neu Asclepiadaceen von Sumatra und Celebes".
In Blumea, August 2001. Notes on the Taxonomy and Ecology of The Genus Hoya (Asclepiadaceae) in Central Sulawesi, by David Kleijn and Ruurd van Donkelaar
Hoya dolichosparte Schltr., Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 34, 2 (1916) 13. --- Type: Schlechter 20642 (B holo). Indonesia, Central Sulawesi Province: Toli-Toli.
Stems thin, lignify quickly with age, pocked with short adventitious roots. Leaves ovate with conspicuous light venation, 3--5 main veins connected by numerous side veins. Petioles thick, l--2 cm long. Peduncles characteristically short (less than 2 cm). Umbels convex, negatively geotropic, 15--40flowers. Flowers outer coronal lobes white, acute-acuminate; inner coronal lobes bright red, acute-acuminate; overall lobe shape elliptic; outer coronal lobe tips slightly more elevated than inner lobe tips; corolla faintly pubescent, recurved, ranging from pure white to a pale lemon yellow, usually violet-dotted. Pollinaria retinaculum with laterally protruding margins surrounding the cavities where the wingless caudicles are attached.
Distribution --- Currently available data suggest that Hoya dolichosparte is endemic to Sulawesi.
Ecology --- Hoya dolichosparte is a rather common twining vine in central Sulawesi from sea level* to approximately 600 m altitude. It was observed growing epiphytically in undergrowth and trees along the sea shore, in large trees along rivers and lakes and in shrubs along plantations. It was also found growing terrestrially on limestone outcrop overlooking the Poso river.
Notes --- "Vegetatively, Hoya dolichosparte bears close semblance with H. camphorifolia Warb.** Furthermore, growth habit and habitat preference are similar, and the two species are often found growing through one another. In this case only the shape of the peduncle sets the two species apart clearly. The species is undoubtedly a close relative of H. nicholsoniae F. Muell."
*Editors notation: we never observed this species a t sea level to my knowledge.
** I do not see any similarity in the vegetation at all, at least from the Philippine species and this species (dolichosparte) growing side by side in Fresno, California.
Hoya dolichosparte Schlechter, 1916, Type # 20642 (B)
Drawing by David Kleijn from the species collected in Central Sulawesi 1994. Drawing 1998. The cupped leaves is typical of the way it grows in Hawaii and Fresno, California, not at all like Hoya camphorifolia Warburg.
Observations from type material by Chris Burton.
Stems: glabrous, lenticellate, filiform.
Blades: 9 – 13.5 cm. long x 6.5 – 9 cm. wide, broadly oval, base rounded to very broadly cuneate obtuse. Glabrous, 5 nerved and plinerved, widely outspread widest part of the blade near the middle.
Petiole: 1.5 – 2 cm. long, gland present at base, channeled above, fleshy.
Peduncles: ca. 2 cm. long glabrous.
Pedicels: many.
Calyx: 2 mm. long, ovate obtuse apex, glabrous, sparsely warty outside, ligules present
Corolla: ca. 1.3 mm. diam., broadly ovate, apex acute, shortly acuminate, whitish, glabrous outside, inside very shortly papillose-puberulous, 5 parted to above the middle.
Corona: ovate-elliptic, inner apex shortly and obtusely acuminate, outer apex ascending, acute, channeled beneath, sides thickened and rounded, on a column.
Anthers: very short, shorter than the inner lobe of corona.
Pollinaria: obliquely erect 4X longer than the retinaculum
Retinaculum: rhomboid
Translators very small, triangular.
Hoya dolichosparte Schlechter 1916
Type: Schlechter 20642, Toli-toli, Sulawesi, Altitude 10m.
From the type description
loosely leaved, glabrous with numerous wart like lenticels; leaves outspread, petiolate, broadly oval, obtuse, with 5 prominent primary nerves above, both sides glabrous 9-13.5 cm. long, almost 6.5-9 cm. wide at the middle, petiole fleshy 1.5-2 cm. long.
Note: I remain unconvinced the above leaves from a plant collected in C. Sulawesi at Tennom is this species. This is a triplinerved species with secondary pinnate nerves further up the midrib. I believe the petiole is grooved above. Leaf above is very cupped (convex above) edges turning under extremely, apex somewhat attenuate to apiculate acute, base obtuse. Unusual yellow-green colored. Petiole straight, terete, long thick corky, 2.5 cm. long ca. 0.5 cm. in diameter.