Aspidostemon manongarivense 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 : 32-34

18. Aspidostemon manongarivense Van der Werff , sp. nov. ( Fig. 11B )

A congeneris inflorescentiis pilis brevibus, rubellis, crispis praeditis, staminodiis papillosis et petiolis longis recedit.

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Massif de Antsatrotro , vers 1000 m, [14°05’S, 48°23’E], XI.1954, fl., fr., Service Forestier 11492 (holo-, P; iso-, MO, P, TEF) .

DESCRIPTION

Large tree.Twigs terete, ridged, glabrous; terminal buds glabrous. Leaves opposite, 6.5-12 × 2.5-5 cm, glabrous, elliptic, firmly chartaceous, the base acute, the apex acute or shortly acuminate, the margin flat, cartilaginous, reticulation immersed on both surfaces or weakly raised on lower surface; lateral veins difficult to discern, c. 10; petioles 13-17 mm long, canaliculate. Inflorescences 2-3.5 cm long, paniculate, moderately covered with short, curly, reddish hairs, the indument sparse at the base of the inflorescences; pedicel very short, indistinct. Flowers 1.5-2 mm in diam., gradually narrowed into the pedicel, conical, tepals slightly wider than long, erect, pubescent; stamens 6 (rarely 3), petaloid, sparsely papillose, but largely covered by the tepals, locelli introrse with only the flaps visible; staminodia III free, with a peltate tip, densely papillose; staminodia IV not seen; pistil slender, glabrous, receptacle glabrous inside. Fruits smooth, ellipsoid, 3.7 × 2.6 cm, the floral parts persisting on the top of the fruits.

REMARKS

Easily recognized in flower by the short, curly, red hairs on the inflorescences and flowers and the papillose indument on the staminodia III. This indument wears off in fruit. The relatively long petioles are a useful vegetative character. Some of the flowers of the type collection have 3 stamens; others have 6; see also the discussion under A. andohahelense and A. occultum . This species is vegetatively similar to A. lucens , from which it differs in the larger, smooth fruits and the petaloid stamens with introrse locelli. Aspidostemon manongarivense is only known from the type collection ( Fig. 12 ).

ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION

1000 m.

PHENOLOGY

Fruits: November.

VERNACULAR NAME

Tapiky.

Figures

FIG. 11. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter:A, A. macrophyllum Van der Werff; B, A. manongarivense Van der Werff; C, A. masoalense Van der Werff; D, A. microphyllum Van der Werff. A, Antilahimena 1344, MO; B, Service Forestier 11492, MO; C, Schatz & Modeste 3057, MO; D, Schatz & Carlson 2925, MO.

FIG. 12. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar: Ϙ, A. macrophyllum Van der Werff; ■, A. manongarivense Van der Werff; Ϙ, A. masoalense Van der Werff; ▲, A. occultum Van der Werff.