Aspidostemon lacrimans (Kosterm.) Rohwer

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2006, A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae), Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 7-44 : 43

Aspidostemon lacrimans (Kosterm.) Rohwer

Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 109: 78 (1987) . — Cryptocarya lacrimans Kosterm. , Bulletin du Jardin botanique de l’État 27: 180 (1957). — Type: Madagascar, Ihorombe , Farafangana, [23°00’30”S, 47°32’30”E], 9.II.1955, ster., Service Forestier 12809 (holo-, P).

REMARKS

The type of this species is sterile. Vegetatively, it fits well within Aspidostemon and a wood sample of the type also agrees with a placement in Aspidostemon . Beyond that, nothing can be said about it. There are no other collections of Aspidostemon known from the type locality which would help in understanding this species.

ADDITIONAL UNDESCRIBED SPECIES

Three collections probably represent additional undescribed species, but are not complete enough for description. Two come from the same locality and thus it is most likely that they represent the same species. However, there are some vegetative differences (leaf tip, venation) and I think there are two species involved. They are:

1) Service Forestier 27127: forêt littorale au S de Sambava (MO, P). The specimen is in bud with a few young flowers. It differs from all other Aspidostemon species in having slender, almost tubular flowers with 3 stamens. Leaves are acuminate. More mature flowers are needed for a description.

2) Service Forestier 27713: forêt littorale au S de Sambava (MO, P). The specimen has bell-shaped fruits, 8 mm long and 7 mm wide at the tip. The fruits have the floral parts attached; 6 stamens with apical cells, staminodia III fused. Leaves are acute or blunt. I have not seen this fruit shape in the other species of Aspidostemon . Again, flowers are needed for description.

3) Ravelonarivo et al. 194: réserve spéciale d’Anjaharibe-Sud (MO, P). Has large leaves, to 15 cm long and 6 cm wide. The collection is in fruit, but the fruits are rather old and the usually persistent floral parts are damaged. The large, wide leaves also occur in A. macrophyllum , but the latter species differs in its pubescent terminal buds and obtuse leaf bases. Flowers are needed for a description.

EXCLUDED SPECIES