Aspidostemon masoalense, Werff, 2006

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2006, A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae), Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 7-44 : 34

19. Aspidostemon masoalense

Van der Werff, sp. nov. ( Figs 7D ; 11C )

A congeneris floribus staminibus tribus praeditis, gemmis terminalibus pubescentibus et inflorecentiis sparse puberulis distinguenda.

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Toamasina, Masoala Peninsula, trail to Ampanavoana , 15°36’S, 49°59’E, 130 m, 14.XII.1990, fl., Schatz & Modeste 3057 (holo-, MO; iso-, HBG, K, L, LE, NY, P, US, TAN).

DESCRIPTION

Tree, 8 m. Twigs angular, glabrous; terminal buds densely pubescent. Leaves opposite, 9-14 × 3.5- 4.5 cm, glabrous, elliptic, the base acute, the apex obtuse, margin flat, reticulation immersed on both surfaces, lateral veins difficult to discern, 10-14, petioles 7-10 mm, canaliculate. Inflorescences 2- 3 cm long, sparsely puberulous, paniculate; pedicels 1 mm long. Flowers 2.5-3 mm in diam., glabrous, gradually narrowed in the pedicel, about as wide as long; tepals c. 1 mm long and wide; stamens 3, the tips flattened, locelli lateral; staminodia of whorl II stipitiform, reddish pubescent; staminodia of whorl III with flat, peltate apex, this glabrous, the columnar filament with reddish hairs; staminodia III free; pistil slender, glabrous; inside of the receptacle glabrous. Fruits unknown.

REMARKS

Distinctive for A. masaolense is the combination of flowers with 3 stamens, stipitiform, pubescent staminodia II and staminodia III with peltate, free apices and pubescent base. Vegetatively, the leaves with obtuse apices and densely pubescent terminal buds allow easy identification. Aspidostemon masoalense is only known from the type collection ( Fig. 12 ). No vernacular name has been recorded.

ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION

50-250 m.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: December.

Figures

FIG. 7. — Scanning electron microscope images of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. grayi Van der Werff; B, A. humbertianum (Kosterm.) Rohwer; C, A. longipedicellatum Van der Werff; D, A. masoalense Van der Werff.A, Van der Werff et al. 12747, MO; B, Turk & Randrianasolo 583, MO; C, Van der Werff 12838, MO; D, Schatz & Modeste 3057, MO. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIG. 11. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter:A, A. macrophyllum Van der Werff; B, A. manongarivense Van der Werff; C, A. masoalense Van der Werff; D, A. microphyllum Van der Werff. A, Antilahimena 1344, MO; B, Service Forestier 11492, MO; C, Schatz & Modeste 3057, MO; D, Schatz & Carlson 2925, MO.

FIG. 12. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar: Ϙ, A. macrophyllum Van der Werff; ■, A. manongarivense Van der Werff; Ϙ, A. masoalense Van der Werff; ▲, A. occultum Van der Werff.