Aspidostemon insigne 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

13. Aspidostemon insigne Van der Werff , sp. nov. ( Fig. 9A )

A congeneris inflorescentiis magnis, foliis ellipticis magnis recedit.

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Périnet , vallée de la prise d’eau du village, 22. I.1968, [18°56’S, 48°26’E], fl., Service Forestier 28138 (holo-, P; iso-, MO, TEF).

DESCRIPTION

Tree, 20- 25 m.Twigs terete, glabrous; terminal buds glabrous. Leaves opposite, 12-20 × 4-6 cm, elliptic, glabrous, base and apex acute or the apex slightly acuminate, margin flat, upper surface mat, with immersed reticulation, lower surface with reticulation raised, lateral veins difficult to discern, c. 8 pairs; petioles 1-1.2 cm long, canaliculate. Inflorescences 3-7 cm long, sparsely puberulous, lateral branches to 3 cm long, pedicels 2-3 mm long. Flowers 2 mm in diameter, 1 mm long, wider than long, glabrous; tepals 1.5-2 mm wide, 1 mm long, erect; stamens 6, tepaloid, the locelli lateral; staminodes of whorl III apically enlarged, free, glabrous; stamens and staminodes forming a shallow, dome-shaped structure with stamens and staminodes free and individually visible. Base of stamens glabrous. Fruits unknown.

REMARKS

Aspidostemon insigne can be easily recognized by its large, elliptic leaves, large, sparsely puberulous inflorescences and glabrous terminal buds. It is only known from the type collection ( Fig. 10 ). Although the inflorescences are large and have many flowers, only a few on each inflorescence are in the stage where one can determine the number of stamens. Aspidostemon macrophyllum has even larger leaves; it differs from A. insigne in its oblong (not elliptic) leaves, pubescent (not glabrous) terminal buds and its pubescent (not glabrous) tepals.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: January.

VERNACULAR NAME

Longotra Mavokely.

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.