Aspidostemon synandra Rohwer, 1987

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2006, A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae), Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 7-44 : 41

26. Aspidostemon synandra Rohwer ( Fig. 16B )

Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 109: 78 (1987) . — Type: Madagascar, Fenerive , Canton Ampasina, Tampolo, 3 m, [17°17’S, 49°23’30”E], 28.VII.1955, fl., Service Forestier 15610 (holo-, P; iso-, HBG, K, MO, P, TEF).

DESCRIPTION

Tree, 10 m. Twigs terete, lenticellate, glabrous; terminal buds glabrous. Leaves opposite, 6.5-8 × 2-3 cm, glabrous, elliptic to obovate-elliptic, the base acute, the apex with a short, blunt acumen c. 5 mm long, the margin slightly recurved, the upper surface smooth, shiny, lower surface with weakly raised reticulation, lateral veins difficult to discern, c. 8, petioles c. 5 mm long, shallowly canaliculated. Inflorescences 1-1.5 cm long, very sparsely puberulous, pedicels 1 mm long. Flowers disc-shaped, wider than long, 2-3 mm in diam., glabrous, when seen from above more or less triangular, tepals wider than long; stamens 3, with a broad apex, partly covered by staminodia III, much wider than long, locelli apical, very small; staminodia II not readily visible, possibly fused with staminodia III; staminodia III with strongly enlarged apices, these fused and forming a shield-like structure in the center of the flower, papillose and with a raised center (umbonate). Fruit unknown.

REMARKS

Aspidostemon synandra is best recognized by the combination of flowers with 3 stamens, and the papillose staminodia III, fused and with an umbonate center. The weakly obovate leaves with a short, blunt acumen are a useful vegetative character. Only A. lucens possesses flowers with 3 staminodia and papillose staminodia III, but that species has free staminodia III, lacks an umbonate center of the flower and has larger leaves with an acute apex. Aspidostemon synandra is only known from the type and probably came from coastal forest on sand ( Fig. 17 ).

ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION

The only collection is from 3 m altitude.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: July.

VERNACULAR NAMES

Longotramena, Tapiky-Mena.

Figures

FIG. 16. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. reticulatum Van der Werff; B, A. synandra Rohwer; C, A. trianthera (Kosterm.) Rohwer;D, A. trichandra Van der Werff. A, Service Forestier 20011, MO; B, Service Forestier 15610, P; C, Service Forestier 12064, MO; D, Ranirison 528, MO.

FIG. 17. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar: ■, A. reticulatum Van der Werff; ▲, A. synandra Rohwer; ▲, A. trianthera (Kosterm.) Rohwer; Ϙ, A. trichandra Van der Werff.