A revision of the genus Trimenia (Trimeniaceae)

Trimenia was first described by Seemann (1871) and based upon a single specimen from Kandavu, Fiji Islands. This specimen he had referred earlier in a preliminary list of Vitian Plants (1861) to a species of Weinmannia because ‘in habit this singular plant is so very much like some species of Weinmannia (Seemann 1871). He suggested it to belong to the tribe of Ternstroemieae DC. of Theaceae, ‘though the panicles are pluriflorous’. Bentham & Hooker (1880) did not share this view and although the systematic position was not certain as they said, they regarded it to have more affinity to Monimiaceae. Some time elapsed before Perkins & Gilg (1901) and Perkins (1925) placed the taxon definitely in the Monimiaceae as the tribe Trimenieae. Gibbs (1917) regarded this tribe to be a distinct family, Trimeniaceae, although she did not state the reasons for this decision. On the basis of more extensive material Gilg & Schlechter (1923) disputed this point of view; they postulated that the features upon which the diagnosis of the family was based were not clear and distinct enough to justify a separation between Monimiaceae and Trimeniaceae as distinct families, although it seemed clear to them that the Trimenioideae should have to be considered as a distinct subfamily of Monimiaceae. This subfamily should include four genera viz.: Xymalos, Idenburgia, Piptocalyx, and Trimenia.