Rhodocolea parviflora (Baker) Phillipson & Callm, comb. nova.

≡ Colea parviflora Baker in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 21: 428. 1885.

Typus: MADAGASCAR: Central Madagascar, s.d., Baron 3099 (holo-: K [K001042024]!; iso-: [P00647481]!).

Observations. – Rhodocolea parviflora is distinguished by its rather fine leafy branches, bearing leaves frequently with as few as 3 relatively thin-textured elliptic leaflets, with the terminal leaflet much larger that the lateral ones, rounded at the base and shortly attenuate at the apex, or with 5-7 leaflets. Young growth is finely but sparsely pubescent in some specimens. The inflorescences are borne at the apex of the branches, they are frequently branched to form a dense panicle, with the flowers tending to be borne in clusters. The flowers are rather small, the calyx ca. 3 mm long and acutely lobed, the corolla ca. 20 mm long, apparently predominantly pink. The species was originally described from “Central Madagascar ”, but we now include material from the Moramanga region at ca. 900 m elevation, and from Betampona Reserve at mid-elevation.