Noronhia intermedia Hong-Wa, 2016

Hong-Wa, Cynthia, 2016, A taxonomic revision of the genus Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars (Oleaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Boissiera 70, pp. 1-292 : 131-133

37. Noronhia intermedia Hong-Wa , spec. nova ( Fig. 26 ).

Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: SAVA , Vohémar, Daraina, forêt d’Ambohitsitondroina, 13°08’S 49°27’E, 210 m, 11. I .2006, Ranirison & Nusbaumer 1073 (holo-: MO-6410087!; iso-: Daraina, G [ G00090500 ], K, P [ P04255368 ] image seen, TEF) .

Diagnosis

Noronhia intermedia Hong-Wa can be distinguished from other members of the genus by its obovate to obtrullate, distinctly acuminate and coriaceous leaf blades, and its geminate to fasciculate flowers with pale green corolla.

Description

Shrubs to 6 m tall, trunk to 3 cm diameter; young twigs cylindrical, 0.9-1.3 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium gray, somewhat rugose, with scattered lenticels. Leaves opposite, persistent; bud scales persistent; blades medium green above, lighter below, obovate to obtrullate, 5.1-6.7 3 2-3 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, domatia absent, base attenuate, sometimes acute, margin slightly revolute and undulate, apex acuminate, the acumen 7-12 mm long, midrib sunken above, raised below, secondary veins conspicuous, 7-9 per side, 7-9 mm apart, looping 1-3 mm from the margin; petiole medium gray, 3-7 3 1.1-1.6 mm, entirely woody, glabrous. Flowers geminate to fasciculate; pedicel 10-23 mm long, glabrous; calyx moderately pubescent outside, the pubescence being clustered at the tips, glabrous inside, lobes deltate, 2-3 3 1.8-2.5 mm; corolla pale green, urceolate, 5-6.5 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 4-5 mm long, lobes deltate, apex obtuse; corona present, 1.7-2 mm long, undivided; stamens 2.2-2.5 mm long, anthers slightly obovate, 1.6-2 mm long; pistil 2.8-3.5 mm long, stigma capitate to slightly bilobed. Fruiting pedicel 14-25 3 0.8-1 mm; young fruits green, brownish when mature, ovoid, surface smooth to rugose, apex rostrate, the rostrum flattened, ridged, apiculate; endocarp woody.

Etymology

Noronhia intermedia is somewhat intermediate between N. candicans and N. crassinodis . It is this condition that was used to derive its name.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Noronhia intermedia occurs in low- to mid-elevation transitional to humid forest around Daraina in the north ( Fig. 27 ). It produces flowers and fruits from December to March.

Conservation status

Noronhia intermedia is currently known only from the forests around Daraina, with an EOO of just 13 km 2 and an AOO of 12 km 2. Two subpopulations representing two locations can be recognized, all of which are encompassed within the newly established protected area of Loky-Manambato. However, despite benefiting from this new protection, the Loky-Manambato complex has the only large remaining patches of forest in an otherwise heavily degraded area, upon which the predominantly farm-oriented and fast-growing surrounding human population depends. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the forests are still potentially subject to illicit exploitation and encroachment. Thus, with an AOO of less than 20 km 2, a small number of locations and some lingering threats, N. intermedia is assigned a preliminary status of “Vulnerable” [VU D2].

132 Boissiera 70

Notes

Noronhia intermedia appears to be morphologically intermediate between N. candicans and N. crassinodis , with both of which it shares some leaf characters, but from which it differs by its obovate to obtrullate (vs. oblong to broadly elliptic in N. candicans and obovate in N. crassinodis ), acuminate leaf blades (vs. acute to acuminate and mucronulate, respectively), greenish flowers (vs. reddish in both the other two species) borne on longer pedicels (10-23 mm vs. 3-20 mm and 8-20 mm), and smooth to rugose (vs. smooth and punctate, respectively) fruits. The new species can be recognized by its obovate to obtrullate, distinctly acuminate and coriaceous leaf blades, and geminate to fasciculate flowers with pale green corolla.

Paratypi

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Vohémar, Daraina, forêt d’Ambohitsitondroina , 13°07’55”S 49°28’13”E, 140 m, 22.III.2004, Gautier et al. 4676 (Daraina, G, K, MO, P, TEF); Daraina , forêt de Binara, 13°15’44”S 49°36’17”E, 715 m, 21.XII.2003, Nusbaumer 869 (Daraina, G, K, MO, TEF) .

Figures

Fig. 26. Noronhia intermedia Hong-Wa.

Fig. 27. Distribution maps of species of Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars. N. intermedia Hong-Wa to N. macrocarpa Hong-Wa.