Macaranga novoguineensis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Macaranga novoguineensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Macaranga |
| Species: | M. novoguineensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Macaranga novoguineensis | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Macaranga novoguineensis is a species of tree in the Euphorbiaceae family. It is native to New Britain and New Guinea. It is a late succession plant, and supports a variety of insect herbivores, including caterpillars from the moth Homona mermerodes.
This species is only found in New Britain and New Guinea.[1] Countries in which it occurs are Papua Niugini (PNG) and Indonesia.
Habitat and ecology
The species is a late succession plant, most common in primary forest, but also in old secondary growth.[2] In primary and old secondary forest plots examined in Madang Province, PNG, this tree was co-dominant along with Pimelodendron sp., Ficus bernaysii, Ficus phaeosyce and Ficus wassa. This species, along with other Macaranga species, were more palatable (had more insects feeding on them) than Ficus species, and this tree was unusual amongst late succession plants in having a wide range of herbivores hosted.
The plant is a host for a variety of insect herbivores, that include adult and larvae leaf-chewers and leaf-miners.[3][4]