Diospyros darainensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry,, 2020

Schatz, George E. & Lowry II, Porter P., 2020, Taxonomic studies of Diospyros L. (Ebenaceae) from the Malagasy region. IV. Synoptic revision of the Squamosa group in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 42 (9), pp. 201-218 : 211-213

Diospyros darainensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov.

( Fig. 8 )

Diospyros darainensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry , sp. nov. is distinguished from other members of the Squamosa group by the dense appressed trichomes 0.1-0.2 mm long on both surfaces of its leaf blades (vs glabrous on the abaxial surface in all other taxa).

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Sava Region [Prov. Antsiranana]: Ouest (Nord): Versant Est du massif de l’Ankerana (partie S. du massif de Mafokovo), au N. de Vohémar, [13°18’S, 49°51’E], 50- 450 m, 12.III.1967, fr., Service Forestier (Capuron) 27425 (holo-, P [ P03975352 ]! ; iso-, MO!, P [ P02291779 ]!, TEF [ TEF000888 ]!) .

PARATYPES. — Madagascar. Sava Region [Prov. Antsiranana]: near Daraina on road to Vohemar , 13°12’S, 49°46’ E, 200 m, 18.XII.1989, fr., McPherson 14699 ( G, MO, P [ P04539971 ]) .

ETYMOLOGY. — The name chosen for this new species reflects the fact that it occurs in the Daraina region of northeastern Madagascar.

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Diospyros darainensis , sp. nov. occurs in subhumid transitional forest between Daraina and Vohemar ( Fig. 2 ), from 50-450 m elevation.

PHENOLOGY. — Diospyros darainensis , sp. nov. has been recorded in fruit in December and March.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Diospyros darainensis , sp. nov. is known from only two collections, and thus has a geographic range in the form of an AOO of 8 km 2. One of the collections was made within the Loky Manambato protected area. At the other site, D. darainensis , sp. nov. is threatened by fire, forest clearing for agriculture, and collection of firewood and construction material. Therefore, with respect to the principal threat of forest clearing, D. darainensis , sp. nov. exists at two locations. With projected continuing decline in AOO, habitat quality, the number of locations, and the number of mature individuals, D. darainensis , sp. nov. can therefore be assessed for its risk of extinction as Endangered [EN B2ab(ii,iii,iv,v)] ( IUCN 2012).

DESCRIPTION

Tree 8-12 m tall. Young stems densely covered with very short (<0.1 mm), appressed and erect gray trichomes. Lamina 2.7- 5.1 × 0.9-2 cm, oblong to occasionally slightly narrowly ovate or elliptic, coriaceous, glossy and verruculose above, densely covered with short appressed gray trichomes 0.1-0.2 mm long above, densely covered with short appressed light golden trichomes 0.1-0.2 mm below, base rounded to obtuse, margin revolute, apex rounded, midrib slightly impressed above, covered with dense, appressed gray trichomes, raised below, covered with dense, appressed golden trichomes, venation very weakly brochidodromous, with 7-9 secondary veins per side, faintly visible and only slightly raised above, flat below; petiole 2 mm, 1 mm in diam., densely covered with very short erect and appressed gray, slightly flattened above. Male flowers not seen. Female flowers not seen. Young fruit solitary in the axils of leaves. Pedicel in fruit 4 mm long, 2 mm in diam. at base to 4 mm in diam. at apex, with bract scars at the base, densely covered with semi-erect golden trichomes 0.3 mm long; calyx cupuliform in fruit, the fused portion 4-5 mm tall, with 4 slight ridges extending from the sinus to the base, calyx lobes 9 × 12-14 mm, broadly triangular, flat, but often the lobes irregularly folded in pressed material, the apex acute to obtuse, densely covered with very short golden, semi-appressed, curly trichomes both outside and inside; fruit (perhaps not full size?) 8 mm tall, 7 mm in diam., ovoid, glabrous, glaucous.

NOTES

Diospyros darainensis , sp. nov. can be easily recognized among other members of the Squamosa group by the dense appressed trichomes 0.1-0.2 mm long on both surfaces of its leaf blades.

Figures

FIG. 8. — Diospyros darainensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov.: A, fruiting branch; B, fruit; C, detail of leaf venation. A-C, Service Forestier 27425 (P03975352). Illustration by A. Jouy. Scale bars: A, 4 cm; B, 1 cm; C, 5 mm.

FIG. 2. — Geographic distribution of Diospyros betamponensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov. (.), Diospyros callmanderi G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov. (Ɨ), Diospyros darainensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry,sp.nov. (-), Diospyros phillipsonii G.E.Schatz & Lowry,sp.nov.(·), and Diospyros sennenii G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov. (A), mapped on the bioclimatic regions of Madagascar (after Cornet 1974; see Schatz 2000).