Cyrtandra floccosa R.Bone & H.J.Atkins

Atkins, H. J. & Kartonegoro, A., 2021, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF CYRTANDRA (GESNERIACEAE) IN SULAWESI, INDONESIA, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 78 (364), pp. 1-122 : 39-41

9. Cyrtandra floccosa R.Bone & H.J.Atkins , Edinburgh J. Bot. 70(3): 457 (2013).

– Type: Indonesia, Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Mt Rantemario , 26 iv 2009, Thomas & Ardi 09-90 (holotype E; isotypes BO, L). Figure 21 .

Shrub or tree 2–4 m in height. Stems strongly fenestrated, often with conspicuous swollen nodes, glabrescent, densely hairy when young. Leaves opposite, those of a pair more or less equal, often clustered at tips of branches; petioles 12–25 mm long, hairy; blades 6.5–13 × 3–6 cm, elliptic to ovate, base acute or rounded, somewhat coriaceous, drying dark brown or black, margin crenate to serrate, apex acute; 7–9 pairs of lateral veins, looping upwards and running out to margin, tertiary venation reticulate; sparsely hairy above, hairy below densely so on midrib and veins. Inflorescences axillary, pedunculate, 1- or 2-flowered; peduncles c. 6–11 mm long; bracts 3–5(–7) mm long, triangular to ligulate, leafy (with midrib); pedicels 7–20 mm long, densely hairy. Calyx tubular, green-brown, coriaceous, 19–34 mm long, two lower lobes 8–16 mm long, acuminate at apex, three upper lobes divided briefly at apex, densely hairy externally. Corolla light yellow, 26–45 mm long, tube narrow at base, widening and becoming slightly pouched at c.1/3 of length; lobes reflexed, two small dorsal lobes c. 5 mm long, two large lateral lobes c. 12 mm long, one ventral lobe c. 7 mm long, hairy to glabrescent externally, becoming sparsely hairy distally at ends of lobes, glabrous internally at base becoming glandular hairy distally. Stamens with filaments 9–10 mm long, attached c. 20 mm from base of corolla tube; anthers 3–4 mm long, cohering at tips before and during dehiscence; staminodes 3, lateral staminodes c. 3 mm long, central staminode highly reduced, less than 1 mm long. Gynoecium c. 29 mm long; disc cupular with shallowly lobed margin, c. 4 mm long; ovary glabrous; style sparsely glandular hairy at base, becoming dense towards the apex; stigma peltate, c. 3 mm wide, surface densely papillose; stigma and stamens visible beyond corolla mouth. Fruits ovoid, green, drying black, 15–25 × 6–8 mm, glabrous; calyx usually not persistent in fruit, base of style persistent.

Distribution. South Sulawesi: Latimojong Range (see Figure 24 ).

Habitat and ecology. Tropalpine forest at an altitude of 2800–3000 m.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the floccose indumentum, which is particularly dense on juvenile leaves and shoots ( Bone & Atkins, 2013).

Proposed IUCN conservation category. The EOO and the AOO are both 12 km 2, based on a 2 × 2 km grid cell size, under the B criteria ( Bachman et al., 2011). Cyrtandra floccosa occurs in tropalpine vegetation over 2800 m in altitude in and around the western boundary of the Pegunungan Latimojong Protection Forest. Because this habitat type is in good condition and not considered at risk ( Cannon et al., 2007), it is considered unlikely that the species is in decline. It has been collected on three different botanical expeditions in the Latimojong Mountains, most recently in 2009. Following Bone & Atkins (2013), this species is considered to be of Least Concern (LC).

Additional specimens examined. INDONESIA. South Sulawesi. Enrekang: Rante Mario, 3000 m, 1929, Kjellberg 4046 (BO, S) ; Latimojong Mts south of Ninimori , 2950 m, 23 x 1969, Sands 296 (BO, E, K) ; ibid., Sands 344 (E, K) ; Mt Rantemario , 2788 m, 26 iv 2009, Thomas & Ardi 09-89 (BO, E, L) .

Cyrtandra floccosa is very distinctive in Sulawesi. It is characterised by its rusty, floccose indumentum throughout and large, pale-yellow flowers.

Figures

Figure 21. Cyrtandra floccosa. a, Habit; b, opened calyx, showing inner surface; c, opened corolla, showing position of stamens and staminodes; d, gynoecium and disc. Drawn by Claire Banks from Thomas & Ardi 09-90. Reproduced from Bone & Atkins (2013) with the permission of the Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Figure 24. Distribution of Cyrtandra floccosa (black squares), C. gambutensis (red circles) and C. geocarpa (black triangles).