Eugenia sicifolia J.W. Dawson & N. Snow

Neil Snow, John W. Dawson, Martin W. Callmander, Kanchi Gandhi & Jérôme Munzinge, 2016, New Species, New Combinations, and Lectotypifications in New Caledonian Eugenia L. (Myrtaceae), Candollea 71 (1), pp. 67-81 : 70-74

Eugenia sicifolia J.W. Dawson & N. Snow , spec. nova

( Fig. 1 , 4 ).

Typus: New CaledoNia. Prov Nord: Massif du Boulinda , 400 m, en sous-bois de maquis paraforestier, 23.II.1978, Morat 5947 (holo-: P [ P00500636 ]!; iso-: P [ P05094127 , P05093915 ]!).

Differing from New Caledonian congenerics by the combination of sica (dagger-shaped) leaf blades and a densely shortvillous, ferrugineous indumentum on the emerging branchlets, hypanthium, and abaxial calyx lobes.

Shrubs from 1- 3 m. Vegetative and floral parts (where present) densely short villous (trichomes ferrugineous; “hairy” henceforth) but becoming more or less glabrous. Branchlets rounded, epidermis becoming flaky. Leaves petiolate, coriaceous, venation brochidodromous, hairy below, dark green when fresh above, much lighter below, surfaces matte or somewhat glossy above, evenly distributed along branchlets. Foliar colleters linear, deep maroon coloured (relatively few and early-deciduous). Petioles (4-) 8-12 mm, terete, surface somewhat transversely rugose, eglandular, hairy. Leaf blades (5.3-)8-13.5 X (2-) 3-6.5 mm, narrowly ovate, base cordate the lobes sometimes slightly amplexicaulous relative to petiole, apex acute, margins flat, eglandular, hairy (especially below) but with minute whitish/clear fungal hyphae extruding especially near abaxial midvein (use high magnification with bright light); adaxial midvein flush to slightly sulcate proximally, protruding abaxially; secondary veins indistinct adaxially, obscure to moderately prominent abaxially; lateral vein obscure to prominent, ca. 2-3.5 mm from margin at midpoint of blade. Inflorescence a bracteate raceme or single flower, axillary, supraxillary or terminal, axis densely hairy, pinkish to light maroon (when fresh). Peduncles 6-12 mm, rigid, ascending, hairy. Bracteoles (3.5-) 5-7 mm (the apex extending slightly beyond base of calyx lobes), linear to very narrowly ovate, rigid, ascending to erect, leaf-like (midvein and secondary veins faintly visible), hairy. Hypanthium 5- 6 mm, campanulate, hairy and remaining so during anthesis. Calyx lobes 4, (4.5-) 5-7 mm, triangular, apex acute, hairy and sometimes remaining so (especially abaxially). Petals 4, 4.5- 5 X 3.5-4 mm, very widely ovate to oblate, based round to truncate, whitish, ciliate on margins, oil glands sparse. Stamens numerous (> 150), whitish or cream-coloured; staminal disk glabrous; filaments 2-4 mm; anthers 0.6-0.9 mm, ellipsoid, basifixed, eglandular. Ovary apex glabrous. Styles ca. 3 mm, glabrous, stigma terete (scarcely if at all capitate). Ovary bilocular; placentation axile; ovules numerous. Fruits 15- 18 mm X 12-17 mm, globose, base rounded or slightly tapered, calyx lobes appressed to fruit or somewhat ascending.

Etymology. – The specific epithet is derived from the Latin elements sica (“dagger”) and folia (leaf), in reference to the shape of the leaf blades.

Distribution, ecology and phenology. ‒ Known from four collections in the north-west, at 400 m on Mt. Boulinda and 20 m on Pindai ( Fig. 2 ). The species occurs in maquis or “paraforestier” vegetation over ultramafic or calcareous soils and sclerophyllous forests in Pindaï. Flowering in February, fruiting in March and April.

Conservation status. – The two known locations (Boulinda, Pindaï) are both outside mining concessions, but the vegetation in the Boulinda is fragmented due to mining activities. Giving the restricted distribution of the new species, an AOO of only 4 km 2 and two known locations, E. sicifolia is assigned a preliminary IUCN conservation status of “Endangered” [EN B1ab(i,ii,iii,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,v)].

Note. ‒ The narrowly ovate leaves with their acute apices, deeply cordate bases and prominent petioles, coupled with the dense indumentum on emerging growth and portions of the flower, are diagnostic.

Paratypi. ‒ New CaledoNia. Prov. Nord: Pindaï , 26.IV.2007, Hequet (leg. Butin) 3677 ( NOU [ NOU018421 ]); Baie des Sapins, Pindaï , 18.VII.2007, Hequet (leg. Butin) 3727 ( NOU [ NOU 022012 ]); Pindaï, ca. 20 m, 16.XII.1998, Veillon (leg. Butin) 8189 ( NOU [ NOU073564 ]); Pindaï, 66 m, 15.IV.2013, Lebouvier NL113 ( NOU); ibid. loc., 16.IV.2014, Lebouvier NL144 et al ( NOU).

Figures

Fig. 1. – Distribution of new species of Eugenia L. in New Caledonia mapped on ultrabasic rocks (light grey) and protected areas (dotted stippling): E. amosensis N. Snow (circle), E. homedeboana N. Snow (squares), E. sicifolia J. W. Dawson & N. Snow (pentagons), E. tchambaensis J. W. Dawson & N. Snow (stars), and E. tiwakaensis J. W. Dawson & N. Snow (crosses).

Fig. 2. – Holotype of Eugenia amosensis N. Snow. [Munzinger et al. 1488, P] [© Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris. Reproduced with permission]

Fig. 4. – Holotype of Eugenia sicifolia J. W. Dawson & N. Snow. [Morat 5947, P] [© Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris. Reproduced with permission]