Aspidostemon conoideum, 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 : 18-20

6. Aspidostemon conoideum

Van der Werff, sp. nov. ( Fig. 4B )

A congeneris staminibus tribus, staminodiis liberis inflorescentiis pubescentibus recedit.

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Toamasina, Ambotavy , 18°51’S, 48°18’E, 1000 m, 3. III.1997, fl., Rakotomalaza et al. 1203 (holo-, MO; iso-, P).

DESCRIPTION

Tree, 16 m. Twigs terete, appressed pubescent, becoming glabrous with age; terminal buds appressed

pubescent.Leaves opposite, 5-7 × 1.5-2.5 cm, elliptic to broadly elliptic, coriaceous, with some appressed hairs on the lower surface when young, becoming soon glabrous, the base acute or obtuse, the apex blunt, often with a small point, or emarginate, the margin flat, cartilaginous, reticulation immersed on the upper surface, slightly raised on the lower surface, lateral veins 6-8; petioles 4-6 mm long, shallowly canaliculate. Inflorescences to 1 cm long, appressed pubescent, with less than 10 flowers, pedicels lacking and flowers sessile. Flowers 2 mm in diameter, 4 mm long, narrowly conical, glabrous, green, tepals much shorter than the hypanthium, about as wide as long, erect; stamens 3, a little thicker than tepaloid, the cells lateral-introrse, small, staminodia II pressed against the inner staminodia, tepaloid; stamens and staminodia II dorsally pubescent, the pubescence largely hidden by the tepals; staminodia III with a peltate apex, free, the columnar filament rather densely pubescent; staminodia IV not seen; upper rim of the receptacle densely pubescent. Fruits unknown.

REMARKS

Aspidostemon conoideum is easily recognized by its flower shape, its pubescent twigs, terminal buds and inflorescences. It is the only species with pubescent twigs and flowers with 3 stamens and free staminodia III. Its leaves are, for the genus, relatively short and wide. It is solely known from the type collection ( Fig. 5 ), which has few flowers. However, its vegetative features are so distinctive that a description seems warranted. No vernacular name has been recorded.

ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION

1000 m.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: March.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. caudatum Rohwer; B, A. conoideum Van der Werff; C, A. dolichocarpum (Kosterm.) Rohwer; D, A. fungiforme Van der Werff. A, Perrier de la Bathie 14919, MO; B, Rakotomalaza 1203, MO; C, Réserves Naturelles 3261, MO; D, Schatz et al. 3804, MO.

FIG. 5. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar: ▲, A. caudatum Rohwer; ▲, A. conoideum Van der Werff; Ϙ, A. dolichocarpum (Kosterm.) Rohwer;Ϙ, A. fungiforme Van der Werff.