Aspidostemon litorale Van der Werff, 2006

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2006, A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae), Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 7-44 : 28-29

14. Aspidostemon litorale Van der Werff , sp. nov. ( Fig. 9B )

Aspidostemoni grayi affine, sed foliis ellipticis vel late ellipticis, floribus glabris recedit.

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Antsiranana, Vohémar, Tsarabaria , 13°41’57”S, 50°05’19”E, 29.X.2002, fl., Rabevohitra, McPherson, Rabenantoandro & Ranarivelo 4246 (holo-, MO; iso-, P, TEF).

DESCRIPTION

Tree, 8 m. Twigs terete, appressed pubescent when very young, soon becoming glabrous, terminal buds densely appressed pubescent. Leaves opposite, 6- 9 × 2.5-4 cm, elliptic to broadly elliptic, glabrous or with some appressed hairs when young, the base acute to attenuate, the apex obtuse or bluntly acute, margin flat, venation including midrib immersed on upper leaf surface, faintly raised on the lower surface; lateral veins 6-8, difficult to discern; petioles 6-9 mm, somewhat canaliculate. Inflorescences 1.5-3 cm long and to 3 cm wide, sparsely to moderately pubescent, pedicels 2-3 mm long. Flowers 2 mm in diam., 2 mm long, gradually narrowed into the pedicel, obconical, glabrous; tepals more or less erect, 1 × 1 mm, glabrous; stamens 6, tepaloid, the locelli introrse; staminodia III erect, with an enlarged tip, free, smooth; staminodia IV not seen; pistil glabrous, spindle-shaped; receptacle mostly glabrous, but with reddish, curled hairs near the tip. Fruits unknown.

REMARKS

Aspidostemon litorale is readily recognized by its relatively broad leaves with a blunt apex, its pubescent terminal buds and flowers with 6 tepaloid stamens and free staminodia III. It is only known from the type collection made in littoral forest ( Fig. 10 ). Stamens and staminodia are bright red, an unusual color in Lauraceae , but also found in A. grayi . No vernacular name has been recorded.

ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION

10 m.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: October.

Figures

FIG. 9. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. insigne Van der Werff; B, A. litorale Van der Werff; C, A. longipedicellatum Van der Werff; D, A. lucens Van der Werff. A, Service Forestier 28138, MO; B, Rabevohitra et al. 4246, MO; C, Van der Werff et al. 12838, MO; D, Service Forestier 20009, MO.

FIG. 10. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar: ▲, A. insigne Van der Werff; Ϙ, A. litorale Van der Werff; ■, A. longipedicellatum Van der Werff; ■, A. lucens Van der Werff.