Beguea apetala Capuron

George E. Schatz, Roy E. Gereau & Porter P. Lowry Ii, 2017, A revision of the endemic Malagasy genus Beguea (Sapindaceae), Candollea 72 (1), pp. 45-65 : 47-51

2. Beguea apetala Capuron

in Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat., B, Bot. 19: 105. 1969 ( Fig. 2 B).

Lectotypus (designated here): MADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: Analanjirofo Region, env. de la baie d’Antongil : massif de l’Ambohitsitondroina de Mahalevona , [15̊25’S 49̊58’E], c. 700 m, XII.1953, fl., Service Forestier 8701 (lecto-: P [ P00214641 ]!; isolecto-: G [ G00341689 ]!, K!, L!, MO-6701278 !, P [ P00137008 , P00137009 , P00580342 ]!, TEF [ TEF000464 ]!).

Fig. 1. – Begueo onkeronensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry. A. Flowering branch; B. Detail of flower at anthesis; C. Portion of inflorescence axis; D. Leaflet (lower surface); E. Leaflet (upper surface).

[Antilohimeno 7978, MO] [Drawing: R.L. Andriamiarisoa]

Fig. 2. – Photographs of Begueo Capuron. A. Begueo onkeronensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry; B. Begueo opetolo Capuron; C. Begueo turkii G.E. Schatz, Gereau & Lowry ; D. Begueo vulgoris G.E. Schatz, Gereau & Lowry.

[A: Antilohimeno 7978; B: Rovelonorivo 3854; C: Rokotovoo 3648; D: Antilohimeno 5459] [Photos: A, C: P. Antilahimena; B: D. Ravelonarivo; C: C. Rakotovao]

Tree to 25 m tall; stems densely golden to whitish tomentulose, glabrescent. Petioles 2.5-12.5 cm, densely golden tomentulose. Leaves trifoliolate or with 4-14 subopposite to opposite leaflets; rachis 1-19.8 cm, not keeled, densely golden tomentulose; petiolule 2-9 mm, sparsely short white sericeous, glabrescent; leaflet blade 3-15.7 × 1.9-5 cm, elliptic to ovate, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, nearly always conduplicate and folded along the midvein in pressed material, glabrous and glossy above, glabrous below except very sparsely tomentulose at the base, base markedly asymmetrical, cuneate to acute and decurrent along petiolule, margins usually strongly revolute, apex acute to usually long acuminate, the acumen rounded and sometimes minutely emarginate, usually deformed in the process of pressing, midvein slightly raised above and below, secondary veins 8-15 per side, often not very evident below, flat to slightly raised above and below, tertiary venation evident and raised above. Inflorescence axis 2.3-33 cm long, 1-2 mm in diam. at base, unbranched, sparsely tan sericeous; bracts c. 0.2 mm, triangular, adaxially concave; pedicels usually paired on a common peduncle to 1.0 mm, sometimes solitary and epedunculate, 1.5-3.5 mm, c. 0.4 mm in diam., elongating to 6 mm in fruit, moderately to densely golden sericeous. Male flowers with a cupulate, 5- to 7-lobed calyx, the lobes 0.2-0.3 × 0.3-0.6 mm, broadly triangular, sparsely tan sericeous outside; disc 1.2 mm in diam., sparsely whitish granular-farinose; stamens 8 (or 9), filaments c. 2 mm, with sparse spreading trichomes along basal third, anthers 0.7-0.8 × 0.3-0.4 mm, oblong; pistillode 0.2-0.3 mm high, 0.2-0.3 mm in diam., hemispherical, covered with short appressed trichomes. Female flowers not seen. Fruit spheroid, 1.5-1.8 cm in diam., glabrescent, apex apiculate, fruit wall 0.6-0.8 mm thick; seed flattened ellipsoid, c. 14 × 9 × 7 mm.

Additional material examined. – MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: SAVA Region, Forêt d’Andrakaraka , au SSW d’Antalaha , [14̊53’S 50̊15’E], 22.IX.1954, fr., Service Forestier 9233 ( MO, P, TEF); env. de Lohanantsahabe (haut Antsahabe, affluent rive gauche de la Lokoho) entre Sambava et Andapa, [14̊26’S 49̊56’E], 19.X.1966, fr., Service Forestier 24936 ( MO, P, TEF); env. S de Tsaratanana , entre Nosiarina et Antsirabe-Nord (route Sambava-Vohemar), [14̊06’15’’S 50̊00’45’’E], 1.IV.1967, fl., Service Forestier 27655 ( MO, P, TEF). Prov. Fianarantsoa: Atsimo-Atsinanana Region, vestiges de forêts entre Farafangana et Manakara, [22̊29’S 47̊48’E], 30.VI.1954, fr., Service Forestier 9212 ( MO, P, TEF). Prov. Toamasina: Atsinanana Region, Betampona , 17̊55’16’’ S 49̊12’33’’E, 300 m, 20.XI.2005, fr., Buerki 149 ( G, MO); Alaotra-Mangoro Region, Zahamena PN , forêt d’Ambavala , à 5 km au SE du village d’Ankosy, 17̊32’32’’S 48̊43’30’’E, 1250 m, 30.XI.2002, fl., Randrianjanaka 756 ( CNARP, G, L, MO, P, TAN); Atsinanana Region, Maroseranana , Ambodilendemy , forêt de Vohimanana , 18̊24’33’’S 48̊47’33’’E, 1155 m, 25.III.2011, fr., Ravelonarivo et al. 3854 ( G, MO, P, TAN); Analanjirofo Region, de la baie d’Antongil , massif de Farankaraina , entre Navana et Andranofotsy , [15̊23’S 49̊51’E], 20.IX.1957, fr., Service Forestier 18347 ( P, TEF).

Vernacular names. – “Fandifiana”, “Somotrorana”.

Conservation Status. – Beguea apetala is known from eight widely dispersed localities from between Farafangana and Manakara to north of Sambava ( Fig. 4 ). Its geographic range comprises an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 26,017 km2 and an area of occupancy (AOO) possibly greater than 2,000 km2 given the amount of potential suitable habitat within the EOO, and it is present in two protected areas, Betampona Strict Nature Reserve and Masoala National Park. Continuing decline in habitat quality as a result of ongoing forest exploitation and clearing for agriculture at unprotected sites is projected. As the threshold for “Vulnerable” [VU] is nearly met with respect to EOO, we therefore assign a preliminary assessment of “Near Threatened” [NT] using the IUCN Red List Criteria ( IUCN, 2012).

Notes. – Beguea apetala is here restricted to material matching the type, with leaflets that are glabrous except at the very base beneath, are noticeably conduplicate in living material ( Fig. 2 B) and thus usually folded on herbarium specimens, and have revolute margins and raised tertiary venation above, as well as a distinctly long acuminate apex that is deformed to one side in the process of pressing the specimens. The number of leaflets is quite variable, ranging from 3 to 14.

Figures

Fig. 2. – Photographs of Begueo Capuron. A. Begueo onkeronensis G. E. Schatz & Lowry; B. Begueo opetolo Capuron; C. Begueo turkii G. E. Schatz, Gereau & Lowry; D. Begueo vulgoris G. E. Schatz, Gereau & Lowry.

Fig. 4. – Geographic distribution of Begueo opetolo Capuron (circles), B. birkinshowii G. E. Schatz, Gereau & Lowry (stars), B. boreolis G. E. Schatz & Lowry (diamond), B. tsorotononensis G. E. Schatz, Gereau & Lowry (squares) and B. turkii G. E. Schatz, Gereau & Lowry (triangles), mapped on the bioclimatic zones of Madagascar (after CORNET, 1974; see SCHATZ, 2000).