Rhodocolea compressa (Lam.) Phillipson & Callm.

Phillipson, Peter B. & Callmander, Martin W., 2015, Notes on the Rhodocolea racemosa (Lam.) H. Perrier (Bignoniaceae) species complex, Candollea 70 (2), pp. 257-265 : 263-264

Rhodocolea compressa (Lam.) Phillipson & Callm. , comb. nova.

≡ Bignonia compressa Lam., Encyl. 1: 424. 1783.

≡ Colea compressa (Lam.) K. Schum. in Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. IV(3b): 248. 1895.

Typus: MADAGASCAR: sine loc., s.d., Poivre s.n. (holo-: P-JUSS, cat. n°4995 [ P00680415 ]!).

= Colea chapelieri DC., Prodr. 9: 242. 1845. ≡ Rhodocolea racemosa f. chapelieri (DC.) H. Perrier in Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille ser. 5, 6: 26. 1938.

Typus: MADAGASCAR: sine loc., s.d., Chapelier s.n. (holo-: P [ P00647482 ]!; iso-: P [ P00647483 ]!).

= Colea nitida DC., Prodr. 9: 242. 1845. ≡ Rhodocolea racemosa f. nitida (DC.) H. Perrier in Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille ser. 5, 6: 25. 1938.

Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: sine loc. s.d., du Petit-Thouars s.n. (holo-: P [ P00647479 ]!).

Observations. – Rhodocolea compressa is distinguished by its leaves bearing (3) 5- 9 obovate coriaceous leaflets, which are gradually attenuate at the base, and with the terminal leaflet barely larger than the lateral ones. The leaflets often have revolute margins and a rather glossy upper surface, they are very variable in size depending on the vigor of the specimen collected, but are rarely more than 8 cm long. The inflorescences are mostly borne on the young growth, but are sometimes cauliflorous, they are long (often> 15 cm long), but rather lax, the nodes are often somewhat geniculate, and the leafy bracts are usually conspicuous and persistent. The flowers have a calyx typically ca. 4-5 mm long, with shallow rounded lobes, and the corolla is usually white or pale pink, sometimes suffused with a deeper pink on the lobes, and with yellow nectar guides in the throat. Rhodocolea compressa occurs at low elevation along the eastern seaboard of Madagascar from near Farafangana in the south to the Masoala Peninsula in the north, it is a common species that appears to survive in degraded areas as well as occurring in littoral forest.

Material of Rhodocolea compressa has been referred in the past to Colea decora Bojer , and the authorship of the latter name has been attributed variously to Wenceslas Bojer himself, Augustin Pyramus de Candolle (DC.) and Berthold Seemann (Seem.). The name has been cited as a synonym of Rhodocolea racemosa and also as a synonym of Ophiocolea floribunda (Bojer) H. Perrier. Colea decora is a validly published name for a species from the highlands of Madagascar, that is closely related to Ophiocolea floribunda (= Colea floribunda Bojer ). Bojer’s publication of the name included only minimal descriptive information - it was grouped with three other species of Colea as having “Feuilles verticillées, accompagnées de grandes stipules. Fleurs placées sur la tige.”, and for each species the habit and the flower colour was noted, as well as information about the known habitat ( BOJER, 1837). Colea decora was described as “Arbrisseau. Fleurs blanches.” which was adequate to differentiate it from the two other species in the group. The known type material includes specimens at K and P [P00648528] (Bojer s.n.). De Candolle accepted Bojer’s species, but introduced the suggestion that it might be the same as Bignonia compressa Lam. ( CANDOLLE, 1845). This was no doubt influenced by the existence of specimens of the latter species collected by Bojer, including a sheet at G which eventually became annotated (erroneously) as the holotype of Colea decora (Bojer s.n. [G00133785]). SEEMANN (1862) subsequently provided a description under C. decora which relates to Rhodocolea compressa and not to Bojer’s Colea decora . He also cited both Bojer’s original publication of the name and de Candolle’s treatment of the species and specimens of Rhodocolea compressa , it is clear therefore that Seemann merely misinterpreted Bojer’s plant, evidently he did not see the type of Colea decora .