| A revision is presented here of a group of mainly Papua New Guinea species of Medinilla Gaudich. ex DC. (Melastomataceae) peculiar for possessing a feature nearly unique for the family: leaf blades with a pair of lateral lobes at the base (‘pseudo-stipules’). This character was previously recorded for Astronidium miraculum-dei J.F. Maxwell & Veldk. (Astronioideae) from the nearby Solomon Islands. Various explanations, none satisfactory, for this phenomenon are explored. The group consists of 15 taxa, 2 previously described, 13 proposed here. The correct authorship of Medinilla is ‘Gaudich. ex DC.’, the correct name for the type species is Medinilla medinilliana (Gaudich.) Fosberg & Sachet, and not M. rosea Gaudich. ex DC., nom. superfl. Medinilla... |
