Mezoneuron ouenensis (Guillaumin) R. Clark, 2015

Clark, Ruth P. & Gagnon, Edeline, 2015, A revision of Mezoneuron (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae) in New Caledonia, with perspectives on vegetation, geology, and conservation, Phytotaxa 207 (1), pp. 68-92 : 79-80

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.207.1.3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13642387

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C4C57D-FFF2-2C5F-FF2D-F93A0D73FD43

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Mezoneuron ouenensis (Guillaumin) R. Clark
status

comb. nov.

Mezoneuron ouenensis (Guillaumin) R. Clark View in CoL comb. nov.

Basionym. Caesalpinia ouenensis Guillaumin View in CoL , Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France 83: 308–309. 1936.

Holotype:— NEW CALEDONIA: Balansa, B. 312, 27 ‘7bre’ 1868 (fl.) P (P00379653!)

Shrub, 1– 2 m. Stems without recurved prickles, glabrous. Stipules unknown. Leaves bipinnate, unarmed, all parts glabrous; pinnae 2–3 opposite pairs, paripinnate; leaflets opposite, 1–2 pairs per pinna; petioles 2.5–3.5 cm; rhachis 6.5–7.5 cm; pinnae 1.5–3.8 cm. Leaflets orbicular to obovate, base oblique, apex rounded; 3.3–5 × 2.7–4 cm; secondary veins anastomosing, visible on both surfaces. Inflorescence an axillary raceme, c. 7 cm long, all parts glabrous. Pedicels 8–10 mm, not articulated. Bract at base of pedicel 2–3 mm long, lanceolate. Hypanthium c. 3mm deep, glabrous, lower calyx lobe c. 9 × 3 mm, other lobes c. 6–7 × 3 mm, glabrous. Median petal size unknown, lateral petals c. 11–13 mm long. Stamens 10, c. 12–15 mm long, glabrous; ovary not seen. Fruit unknown. ( Figure 2 View FIGURE 2 )

Distribution:— Endemic to New Caledonia. Known only from the type specimen, collected on Ile Ouen (South Province). ( Figure 7 View FIGURE 7 )

Habitat and Ecology:— The edge of a stream. Vegetation not stated on specimen label, inferred to be maquis on ultramaphic substrate, as this is the only native vegetation type on Ile Ouen.

Phenology:— Unknown.

Preliminary Conservation Assessment:—

Category assigned:— Critically Endangered

Rationale:— M. ouenensis is determined here as Critically Endangered, as it is known only from a single specimen, collected in 1868. Ile Ouen, the type locality, is a small island (c. 8.7 × 7.2 km), which is inhabited and has been subject to anthropogenic disturbance that may have destroyed the population from which the type specimen was derived. There are very few herbarium collections from this island, particularly from recent years. This could indicate either that there is little of interest to collect on the island, which could be a result of destruction of the vegetation, or simply that the island is seldom visited by collectors. A survey of the island is required to verify this assessment.

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Fabales

Family

Fabaceae

Genus

Mezoneuron

Loc

Mezoneuron ouenensis (Guillaumin) R. Clark

Clark, Ruth P. & Gagnon, Edeline 2015
2015
Loc

Caesalpinia ouenensis

Guillaumin 1936: 308
1936
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