Mimusops coriacea (A. DC.) Miq.

Laurent, Gautier, Nusbaume, Louis, Garratt, Rhéa, Randrianivo, Richard & Phillipson, Peter B., 2012, Mimusops coriacea (A. DC.) Miq. (Sapotaceae): nomenclature, distribution and ecology, Candollea 67 (1), pp. 148-151 : 148-151

Mimusops coriacea (A. DC.) Miq. in Mart. Fl. Bras. 7: 44.

Ξ Imbricaria coriacea A. DC. in Prodr. 8: 200. 1844.

Typus: “ Hab. in sylvis insulae Madagascar. Cult. in Mauritius ”, received 1839, fl., Bojer s.n. (lecto-: G-DC [ G00 142023 ]!) (lectotype implicitly designated by FRIEDMANN, 1981). “ Mimusops hexandra ”, received 1839, fl., L. Bouton s.n. (syn-: G-DC [ G00142033 ]!) ; “4157 Mimusops imbricaria Willd. UBL [?] e Mauritio; Comp. angl. des Indes 1831”, fl., anon. s.n. (syn-: G-DC [ G00142032 ]!) ; “ Mimusops elengi, Fl. Maurit. II ”, s.d., fl., Sieber 329 (syn-: G-DC [ G00142034 ]!) .

– Mimusops commersonii auct. non (G. Don) Engl.: Engler, Mon. Afr. Pflanzenf. 8: 77. 1904 (for Madagascar collections); Aubréville, Adansonia ser. 2, 4: 380. 1964; Humbert, Fl. Madagascar Comores 164: 44. 1974.

Observations. – The Imbricaria coriacea folder of the G-DC herbarium contains four specimens. The only one which gives a vague indication of locality is a specimen of Bojer cultivated in Mauritius and believed to have originated from material collected inMadagascar. The dateon the label isnot to be considered as a collection date, it is very probably the year of accession in G-DC. There is little doubt that all 3 other specimens werecollected form cultivated plantsinMauritius or inAsia, but their original pro venance isnot indicated. The Bojer collection was cited as the “ holotype ” by FRIEDMANN (1981), and although this is technically not the case, this should be considered to be an effective lectotypification according to art. 7.11 ofICBN (M CNEILL & al., 2006).

Distribution

Although Mimusops coriacea has been cultivated widely in the tropics for centuries, it is native only to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. It is reported as naturalized on Réunion Island. In Madagascar ( Fig. 2 ) it is found exclusively along the east coast from Antsiranana (Diégo-Suarez) in the North down to Tolagnaro (Fort Dauphin) in the south, and on the west coast where it is restricted to the Sambirano Domain (sensu HUMBERT, 1955). In this area, it has not been recorded from the Ampasindava Peninsula, but this is probably a sampling artefact, the peninsula has been very inadequately explored.

Ecology

Mimusops coriacea is typically reported to grow on sands as acommon component of coastal forests. Out of 47 collections that could be georeferenced with <30 m incertainity, the average distance tothe sea was 1.3 km,withless than 5% of collections made more than 3.6 km from the sea (maximal value 11 km). Accordingly, based on data obtained from the available specimen labels it is always found at low altitude (avg.: 17 m; 5% above 32 m, max value 134 m). With respect to humidity, it appears to be present in all coastal areas with high rainfall and a poorly marked dry season. It seems to be absent from the west coast south of the Sambirano, that experiences adrier climatewithapronounced dryseason, but it is found along the coast in the extreme north of the island - an area that also has alow annual rainfall.It ishypothetized that its presence in this area could be related to the shorter duration of the dry season compared with the main part of the west coast south ofthe Sambira no ( CORNET, 1974).

Phenology

For the 91 collections for which a month of collection was available, we recorded whether specimens bore flower buds, flowers, young fruits or mature fruits (or sub-mature fruits). On a monthly basis, the number of specimens were summed ( Fig. 3 ). Flowering occurs throughout the season with maximum rainfall, from October to May. Flower buds and flower are apparently often present simultaneously. Presence of fruits is observed throughout the year, with peaks in March, June and October.

Conservation status

With an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 233 137 km 2, an area of occupancy (AOO) of 693 km 2 and 46 subpopulations, six of them one encompassed within protected areas (Lokobe, Orangea, Masoala, Mandena, Petriky,St.Luce), M.coriacea is assigned a preliminary status of Least Concern following the “IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria” ( IUCN, 2001) (calculation following CALLMANDER & al., 2007). Habitat transformation is only a relative threat for the species: when coastal forestsarecleared by the local population, trees of Mimusops coriacea are usually preserved for their edible fruits. Even when coastal cities develop, trees are still preserved in the urban landscape ( Fig. 4 ).

Common names

In Madagascar: Voranto, Natondriaka, Anganahara, Moroganamara ( AUBRÉVILLE, 1974). In the Mascarenes: Pomme Jacot(F RIEDMAN, 1981).

Figures

Fig. 2. – Natural range of Mimusops coriacea (A. DC.) Miq. in Madagascar, plotted on HUMBERT (1955) map of phytogeographical domains (102 specimens georeferenced with <5 km incertainity).

Fig. 3. – Phenology of Mimusops coriacea (A. DC.) Miq. in Madagascar (number of specimens having flower buds, flowers, young fruits or fruits per month)

Fig. 4. – A tree of Mimusops coriacea (A. DC.) Miq. preserved in the city of Masoala, Eastern Madagascar. [Photo: L. Gautier]