A synopsis of the Malesian species of Polyscias (Araliaceae)

The type species of tie genus Polyscias (P. pinnata J. R. & G. Forst.) is closely related to a small number of Pacific and Indo-Malayan species, several of which have long been in cultivation. This group of species have a distinctive facies but can be defined most readily by the elongated sheathing leaf-base. The genus has usually been extended beyond this group to include other pinnate-leaved members of sub-family Schefflereae in which the pedicel is articulated below the flower. There has been uncertainty whether to restrict the genus to species in which the style arms are free or also to include species with connate styles. In his treatment of the New Guinea species, Harms (Bot. Jahrb. 56,1920: 374—414) does include some species with connate styles within Polyscias though also retaining the genus Kissodendron, a genus distinguished from Polyscias mainly by the united style arms. Bernardi (Candollea 26, 1971: 13—89) resolved this difficulty by uniting Kissodendron, and also Palmervandenbroekia, with Polyscias and this treatment is followed here. As thus defined, the genus comprises rather diverse elements, and these have been given sectional status.