Hoya gigas

Hoya gigas Schlechter 1913

Type description:

            In Botanische Jahrbücher 50 (1913) 136. "Die Asclepiadaceen von Neu Guinea” R. Schlechter. 49. H. gigas Schltr. n. sp.. — Suffrutex ramosus, alte scandens Rami filiformes, flexuosi, laxe foliati, teretes, glabri minute et molliter tomentosuli. Folia erecto‑patentia vel patula oblonga vel elliptico‑oblonga, acuminata, basi rotundata, superne glabra, subtus brevissime tomentosuli, petiolata, petiolo tomentosulo, superne leviter sulcato. Inflorescentia, pedunculatae, umbelliformes, 3—7 florae, pedunculo pedicellisque aequilongis brevissime tomentosulis. Calycis foliola suborbicularia, im aequimagna, brevissime tomentosula, quam corolla multo breviora. Corolla subrotata in genere maxima, usque supra medium 5-fida, extus sparsim puberula, intus microscopice papillosa, basi intus anulo villoso circumdatia, lobis triangulis, acutis, margine ciliatis. Coronae foliola suborbiculari‑ovalia antice breviter rostrata, medio concava, extus obtusissima. Pollinia falcato-clavata, translatoribus curvatis, polliniis subaequilongis, retinaculo rhomboideo polliniis paulo minore.
            Eine prächtige hoch‑kletternde Liane, mit schnurartigen locker beblättern Zweigen. Blätter 9—14 cm lang, in der Mitte 4.2—5.5 cm breit, Blattstiele l.5—2 cm lang. Blüten stände doldig 3—7 blütig auf 2.5—3 cm langem, sehr kurz filzigern Stiel. Blütenstiele 2.5—3 cm lang, sehr kurz filzig. Blüten in der Gattung sehr grosz denen der H. lauterbachii R. Schum. ähnlich und fast gleichgrosz. Kelchblätter ungefähr 6—8 mm im Durchmesser. Korolla sehr breit, schüsselförmig. ausgebreitet etwa 8.2 cm im Durchmesser. Gynostegiumsäule etwa 1.4 cm hoch. Koronaschuppen breit und kurz, von der Spitze bis zum äuszeren Rande 7 mm lang
          Nordöstl. Neu-Guinea: auf Bäumen in den Wälden auf den Gomadjidji, am Waria, ca. 450 m. ü. M. (Schlechter n. 19389. — Blühend im Mai 1909).
In dieser Art liegt eine nahe Verwandte der H. Lauterbachii K. Schum. mit etwat; gleichen Blütendimensionen. Die beiden Artet sind unschwer auseinander zu innen besonders nach der Mitte zu dicht sammelhaarig, Die Blüten der varliegenden Art sind rot, die Korona gelb mit braunem Band.
            Translation: See below: Hoyas of Northeastern New Guinea.

Other literature:

In Exotica III 9th Ed. (1978) 1631. A. B. Graf. Hoya gigas (New Guinea); one of many Hoyas we collected on Government expedition in the Finisterre Mountains; a beautiful liane with 4-6 cm waxy flowers reddish brown with light tips.

            In New York Botanical Garden Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horticulture 5 (1981) 1726. H. gigas, of New Guinea, is a high climber. Its broad-elliptic to ovate leaves, up to 5 inches long, have hairy under surfaces. The starry, cupped flowers, 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches in diameter, are reddish brown with paler apexes to the petals.
            In Hoyas of Northeastern New Guinea 1 (1992) 97-98. R. D. Kloppenburg. (Translation). 49. Hoya gigas Schlechter new species. A high climbing branched half shrub, branches threadlike, flexible, loosely leaved, round, glabrous, minutely and softly tomentose. Leaves erect spreading or outspread, oblong or elliptic oblong, acuminate, base rounded, glabrous above, below very shortly tomentose, petiolate, with the petiole minutely tomentose, above lightly grooved. Inflorescences pedunculate, shaped like an umbel. 3-7 flowered, pedicels of the peduncle of equal length, minutely tomentose. Lobes of the calyx somewhat rounded, unequal, very shortly minutely tomentose, much shorter than from the corolla. Corolla almost rotate, largest in the Genus, 5 parted all the way to above the middle, outside sparsely puberulous , inside microscopically papillose (pimply), at the base a ring of long soft straight ascending hairs, lobes triangular acute, with ciliate margins. Scales of the corona almost round-oval, with the apex shortly beaked, in the center concave, outside very blunt (rounded). Pollinia sickle shaped, with the translators curved, a little shorter than the pollinia, retinaculum rhomboid, a little shorter than the pollinia.
            A magnificent high climbing vine, with cord like, loosely
            In this species there is a close relationship to H. lauterbachii K. Schumann with about the same size flowers (bloom dimensions). The two species are easy to tell apart, however for with H. lauterbachii K. Schumann, the leaved branches. Leaves 9-11 cm. long, in the middle 4.2-5.5 cm. wide. Petiole 1.5-2 cm. long. Inflorescences in umbels, 3-7 flowered on a 2.5-3 cm. long, very shortly tomentose peduncle. Pedicels 2.3-3 cm. long, very shortly tomentose. Blooms very large for the section, similar to H. lauterbachii K. Schumann, almost of equal size. Sepals approximately 6-8 mm. in diameter. Corolla very broadly bowl shaped, about 8.2 cm. in diameter when spread out. Gynostegium about 1.4 cm. high. Corona scales broad and short, from the apex to the outer rim 7 mm. long.
            Northeastern New Guinea: on trees in the forests of the Gomadjidji, on the Waria, about 450 meters altitude (Schlechter #19389 - Blooming in May 1909).corolla is more deeply bowl shaped and inside especially toward the middle, has thick velvet like hairs. The blooms of the specie are red with a yellow corona, with a brown band.

In Tropica 4 (1992) 1020. A. B. Graf. Hoya gigas (New Guinea); one of the many Hoyas we collected on government expedition in the Finistere Mountains; a beautiful liane with 4-6 cm waxy flowers reddish brown with light tips. Tropical.

In The Asclepiadaceous Works of Friedrich Richard Rudolf Schlechter (1992) 30. A. Nicholas. H. gigas Schlechter (Schlechter 19389) –15.

            In Dr. Schlechter’s Hoya Species 1 (1993) 66-67. R. D. Kloppenburg. Hoya gigas Schlechter new species. A high climbing branched half shrub, branches threadlike, flexible, loosely leaved, round, glabrous, minutely and softly tomentose. Leaves erect spreading or outspread, oblong or elliptic oblong, acuminate, base rounded, glabrous above, below very shortly tomentose, petiolate, with the petiole minutely tomentose, above lightly grooved. Inflorescences pedunculate, shaped like an umbel. 3-7 flowered, pedicels of the peduncle of equal length, minutely tomentose. Lobes of the calyx somewhat rounded, unequal, very shortly minutely tomentose, much shorter than from the corolla. Corolla almost rotate, largest in the Genus, 5 parted all the way to above the middle, outside sparsely puberulous , inside microscopically papillose (pimply), at the base a ring of long soft straight ascending hairs, lobes triangular acute, with ciliate margins. Scales of the corona almost round-oval, with the apex shortly beaked, in the center concave, outside very blunt (rounded). Pollinia sickle shaped, with the translators curved, a little shorter than the pollinia, retinaculum rhomboid, a little shorter than the pollinia.
            A magnificent high climbing vine, with cord like, loosely leaved branches. Leaves 9-11 cm. long, in the middle 4.2-5.5 cm. wide. Petiole 1.5-2 cm. long. Inflorescences in umbels, 3-7 flowered on a 2.5-3 cm. long, very shortly tomentose peduncle. Pedicels 2.3-3 cm. long, very shortly tomentose. Blooms very large for the section, similar to H. lauterbachii K. Schumann, almost of equal size. Sepals approximately 6-8 mm. in diameter. Corolla very broadly bowl shaped, about 8.2 cm. in diameter when spread out. Gynostegium about 1.4 cm. high. Corona scales broad and short, from the apex to the outer rim 7 mm. long.
            Northeastern New Guinea: on trees in the forests of the Gomadjidji, on the Waria, about 450 meters altitude (Schlechter #19389 - Blooming in May 1909).
            In this species there is a close relationship to H. lauterbachii K Schumann with about the same size flowers (bloom dimensions). The two species are easy to tell apart, however for with H. lauterbachii K. Schumann, the corolla is more deeply bowl shaped and inside especially toward the middle, has thick velvet like hairs. The blooms of the specie are red with a yellow corona, with a brown band.