Pterophylla samoensis, formerly known as Weinmannia samoensis, is a species of plant in the family Cunoniaceae. It is a tree native to the Samoan Islands and to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.[1]

Pterophylla samoensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Oxalidales
Family: Cunoniaceae
Genus: Pterophylla
Species:
P. samoensis
Binomial name
Pterophylla samoensis
(A.Gray) Pillon & H.C.Hopkins[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Weinmannia manuana Christoph.
  • Weinmannia rarotongensis Hemsl.
  • Weinmannia samoensis A.Gray
  • Windmannia samoensis (A.Gray) Kuntze

In the Samoan islands, Pterophylla samoensis is a common canopy tree in montane forests on lower mountain slopes, and in cloud forests above 650 metres elevation. It also grows on rocky upland lava flows.[2]

It also grows in Rarotonga's Metrosideros cloud forest, on cloud-shrouded peaks and ridges above 400 metres elevation. Pterophylla samoensis is part of a low forest canopy which averages eight meters high, dominated by Metrosideros collina.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Pterophylla samoensis (A.Gray) Pillon & H.C.Hopkins Plants of the World Online. Accessed 15 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Samoan tropical moist forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Cook Islands tropical moist forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.