Author: Bentham
Morphological description (see also description of Genus Brownea )
Tree 6-9(-15) m high; young branchlets pubescent, glabrescent (ariza Brownea ylvs 139564).
Leaves 5-, 6- (or 7-) jugate. Leaflets elliptic-oblong to oblong, rarely ovate, 4.5-11 by 2.5-3.5 cm, the basal ones usually smaller, apex very narrowly acuminate, base obliquely rounded, glabrous on both surfaces.
Infiorescences (ariza Brownea infl 139563 ) 9-10 cm in diameter during anthesis, the peduncle and rachis 2-2.5 cm; bracts broad-obovate, 2.5-4.5 cm long, velvety pubescent outside; bracteoles spathe-shaped, 1.7-2.5 cm long, densely rather stiffly velvety pubescent; pedicels c. 5 mm.
Flowers: Hypanthium 9-18 mm. Calyx lobes 2 cm long. Petals 3.5-4 cm long, orange-red or red. Stamens 3-3.5 cm; filaments united at the lower 7-17 mm. Ovary c. 10 mm long, the style c. 4 cm.
Pods 10-18 by 4-4.5 cm, rusty velvety.
Distribution
Native of Colombia.
Habitat & Ecology
In Papua New Guinea on old alluvial soil; altitude c. 30 m. Flowering and fruiting in July, and September.
Note
Verdcourt (1979: 104) identified a specimen collected from the tree cultivated in the Botanic Garden at Lae as 'Brownea ariza Bentham, Hybrid ?' and stated that it differs from the type of that species in having the filaments united at the base for a longer distance (against entirely free in that species); he also remarked that "it is possibly a hybrid with one of the species with much longer staminal tubes."
From the specimens collected at Lae, e. g. LAE 72341, in both flowers & fruits (L), the stamens are 3-3.5 cm with their basal 7-17 mm united. They match rather well those collected from trees in the Botanic Garden Bogor, under the name Brownea capitella Jacquin.