''Semecarpus magnificus'' is a species of plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is endemic to New Guinea.

Description

According to the original describer Karl Schumann, ''Semecarpus magnificus'' is a tree growing to 4–6 m tall. Its leaves are 0.7–1.2 m long and 10.5–20 cm wide near the tip. They are crowded together at the ends of the branches, as in '' Clavija'', '' Theophrasta'' and other similar genera. Schumann only had access to male flowers. They are grouped in inflorescences 60–80 cm long, that are composed of distant branches laden with flower clusters. The

calyx Calyx or calyce (plural "calyces"), from the Latin ''calix'' which itself comes from the Ancient Greek ''κάλυξ'' (''kálux'') meaning "husk" or "pod", may refer to: Biology * Calyx (anatomy), collective name for several cup-like structures ...

is about 1 mm long. The

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are 3 mm long, the

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s 4 mm. The rudimentary

ovary The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. ...

is about 1 mm long. The fruit is about 3 cm long, including the hypocarpium, and 2.5 cm across.

Taxonomy

''Semecarpus magnificus'' was first described by Karl Schumann in 1889, based on a collection by Max Hollrung made during a research expedition to New Guinea from 1886 to 1888. Schumann used the feminine form of the

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

, ''magnifica'', as also noted by the International Plant Names Index, which alters it to ''magnificus'', in agreement with the masculine genus name.

Distribution

''Semecarpus magnificus'' is endemic to New Guinea. It was first observed in what was then Kaiser-Wilhelmsland, in the northeast of the island.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18081274 Semecarpus Plants described in 1889 Endemic flora of New Guinea