Diospyros bardotiae H.N. Rakouth, G.E. Schatz & Lowry, 2021

Schatz, George E., Lowry Ii, Porter P., Rakouth, Hasina N. & Randrianaivo, Richard, 2021, Taxonomic studies of Diospyros (Ebenaceae) from the Malagasy region. VI. New species of large trees from Madagascar, Candollea 76 (2), pp. 201-236 : 212-214

Diospyros bardotiae H.N. Rakouth, G.E. Schatz & Lowry , sp. nov. ( Fig. 2E–F , 6 ).

H o l o t y p u s: M A DA G A S C A R. R e g. D i a n a [Pr o v. Antsiranana]: An k a r a n a, 1 7.X.1 9 9 7, f r., BardotVaucoulon 801 (P [P00310033]!; iso-: K!, MO-5589264!, P [P00310034]!, TAN!).

Diospyros bardotiae H.N. Rakouth, G.E. Schatz & Lowry resembles other members of the Sclerophylla group in having male flowers borne in branched cymes and spherical fruit with accrescent, strongly reflexed calyx lobes, but is distinguished by having fruits with remarkably long pedicels (40–50 mm) and leaves in dried material that are usually dark in color, shiny above, and have evident, densely reticulate tertiary venation.

Tree 8–22 m tall, 7.5–21 cm DBH; bark black. Young stems terete, densely covered with semi-erect, whitish to light brown trichomes c. 0.1 mm long, glabrescent. Leaves distichous, borne 2–3 cm from one another, lamina 5.6–11 × 2.4–3.9 cm, elliptic or sometimes narrowly elliptic, subcoriaceous, glabrous above, with moderately dense, semi-erect, whitish trichomes c. 0.3–0.5 mm long below, glabrescent, dark brownish-green to olive green both above and below, shiny and sometimes mottled grayish above, matte below, base cuneate to acute, symmetric to slightly asymmetric, margin slightly undulate, apex acute, the acumen 3–5 mm long, rounded, sometimes slightly retuse, midvein flat above, raised below, to 2 mm wide at the base, narrowing toward the apex, with semi-appressed, whitish to light brown trichomes c. 0.1 mm long, venation brochidodromous, with 10–14 secondary veins per side, raised above and below, tertiary venation reticulate, evident above and below; petiole 5–10 mm long, c. 1.5 mm in diam., shallowly canaliculate, darker than the lamina, densely covered with semiappressed, whitish to light brown trichomes c. 0.1 mm long, glabrescent. Male flowers in axillary cymes, with 2–4 orders of branching, composed of 24 – 44 flowers, the main axis (peduncle) 18–47 mm long, 1 mm in diam., densely covered with semi-erect, whitish or light brown to almost golden trichomes c. 0.1 mm long; pedicel 5–10 mm long, 1 mm in diam., densely covered with semi-appressed, whitish or light brown to almost golden trichomes c. 0.1 mm long; calyx cupuliform, c. 2 × 2 mm, shallowly 5-lobed, the lobes triangular, 1–1.5 × 1.5–2 mm, densely covered with semi-erect, light brown to whitish trichomes c. 0.2 mm long, apex acute; corolla obovoid to oblanceoloid, 5–7 long, 1–1.5 mm in diam., white and scented in vivo, densely covered outside with appressed (silky), light brown to whitish trichomes c. 0.2–0.6 mm long, sparsely covered inside toward the margin with semi-erect, light brown to whitish trichomes c. 0.1–0.2 mm long; stamens 10, inserted toward the base of the corolla, filaments 1 mm long, anthers 1.5–2 mm long. Female flowers not seen. Fruits axillary, solitary, pedicel in fruit 40–50 mm long, 1–2 mm in diam., pendant, black, sparsely covered with erect, whitish trichomes 0.1–0.2 mm long, glabrescent, sometimes with minute bract scars toward the middle; fruiting calyx strongly accrescent, the base forming a short collar c. 1– 2 mm long, the fused base broadly cupuliform, 8–12 mm in diam, with dense light brown trichomes c. 0.2–0.6 mm long, the lobes 7–21 × 5–10 mm, elliptic, adaxially convex, grayish-green in sicco, strongly reflexed, with sparse, whitish, semi-appressed trichomes c. 0.2–0.6 mm long on both surfaces, glabrescent, matte, venation raised, margins weakly revolute, apex obtuse to rounded; fruit spherical to obloid or ovoid, 19–20 × 17–25 mm, initially green in vivo, dark brown at maturity, shiny, smooth, initially with whitish to light brown trichomes c. 0.3–0.8 mm long, glabrescent, apex apiculate. Seeds 6(–7), 1–2 per locule, spherical wedge-shaped, 9–12 × 5–7 mm, dark brown to blackish, not shiny.

[ A: Andrianantoanina 1019, P; B: Bardot-Vaucoulon 801, P; C: Service Forestier 10527, P] [Drawing: Alain Jouy]

Etymology. – This species is named in honor of Martine Bardot-Vaucoulon, who has passionately devoted most of her free time over the last 21 years to the exploration and documentation the flora of the Ankarana Special Reserve, where she has made more than 2000 collections, many representing new species, including Diospyros bardotiae and several other members of the genus that remain to be described.

Vernacular names. – “Mapingo” (Andrianantoanina 1019),

“Doby-ampototra” (Bardot- Vaucoulon 1302).

Distribution and ecology. – Diospyros bardotiae is restricted to northern Madagascar, where it is known from two protected areas, Ankarana and Montagne d’Ambre. It occurs in dry semi-deciduous forest on basaltic laterite soil, to disturbed subhumid forest, swamps and wet land on ferrallitic-clay soil, from c. 100 to 365 m elevation.

Phenology. – Material of Diospyros bardotiae has been collected in flower in July and September, and fruiting collections have been recorded between December and February.

Conservation status. – Diospyros bardotiae has a geographic range in the form of an Extent of Occurrence of 556 km ² and a minimum Area of Occupancy of 44 km ². It is present in two protected areas, Ankarana and Montagne d’Ambre. Outside of the protected areas, it is threatened by forest clearing for agriculture, fire, grazing, and exploitation for firewood and house construction material, all of which will result in continuing decline. With respect to the most serious plausible threat of forest clearing for agriculture, D. bardotiae exists at 10 locations, and was recently assessed for its risk of extinction as “Vulnerable” [ VU B 1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)] ( IUCN, 2021).

Notes. – Diospyros bardotiae is a member of the Sclerophylla group, characterized by male flowers borne in axillary, branched cymes and solitary, axillary, usually spherical fruit with the accrescent calyx lobes strongly reflexed 180 degrees. Other members of the group include D. bemarivensis H. Perrier , D. boinensis (H. Perrier) G.E. Schatz & Lowry , D. greveana H. Perrier , D. perglauca H. Perrier , D. perreticulata H. Perrier , D. sclerophylla H. Perrier , D. sakalavarum H. Perrier , and D. subbullata G.E. Schatz & Lowry , along with D. malandy H.N. Rakouth, Randrianaivo, G.E. Schatz & Lowry (described below) and as many as a dozen others awaiting description. Within the Sclerophylla group, D. bardotiae can be distinguished by its fruits with remarkably long pedicels and leaves in dried material that are usually dark colored, shiny above, and have evident, densely reticulate tertiary venation.

Additional specimens examined. – MADAGASCAR. Reg. Diana [Prov. Antsiranana]: Ankarana , 7.XII.2006, ♂ fl., Andriamihajarivo 1042 ( MO, P, TAN); Masorolava, Mahagaga, forêt d’Analabe, 23.IX.2007 ,

♂ fl., fr., Andriamihajarivo 1393 ( MO, P, TAN); Ankarana, 11.VII.1994, Andrianantoanina 729 ( MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 19.XI.1996, fr., Andrianantoanina 1019 ( MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 19.II.1994, fr., Andrianarisata 36 ( MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 24.I.2003, fr., Bardot-Vaucoulon 1302 ( K, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, sine datum, fr., Debray 1190D ( P); forêt de Maroatoalana, 7.I.2007, fr., Groeninckx 17 ( BR, G, MO, P, TAN, WAG); Ankarana, 23.XI.1989, bud, fr., McPherson 14523 ( MO, P, TAN); Montagne d’Ambre, 7.II.2012, fr., Ramandimbimanana 382 ( G, P, TEF); Ankarana, 18.I.2014, Randrianaivo 2412 ( BR, DBEV, G, MO, P, TEF); ibid. loco, 19.I.2014, Randrianaivo 2423 ( BR, DBEV, G, MO, P, TEF); ibid. loco, 24.II.2016, fr., Randrianaivo 2872 ( G. MO, P, TAN, TEF); ibid. loco, 9.XII.2018, fr., Randrianaivo 3271 ( DBEV, G, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, fr., Randrianaivo 3272 ( DBEV, G, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, fr., Randrianaivo 3273 ( DBEV, G, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, fr., Randrianaivo 3274 ( DBEV, G, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 10.XII.2018, fr., Randrianaivo 3279 ( DBEV, G, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, fr., Randrianaivo 3281 ( DBEV, G, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 21.III.2020, ster., Ravaoherinavalona 113 ( DBEV, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, ster., Ravaoherinavalona 114 ( DBEV, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 24.III.2020, ster., Ravaoherinavalona 129 ( DBEV, MO, P, TAN) ibid. loco, 26.III.2020, ster., Ravaoherinavalona 146 ( DBEV, MO, P, TAN), ibid. loco, ster., Ravaoherinavalona 147 ( DBEV, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 13.VII.1954 , ♂ fl., Service Forestier 10527 ( MO, P, TEF); ibid. loco, 1.IX.1954, Service Forestier 10659 ( G, MO, P, TEF); ibid. loco, 16–28.I.1969, fr., Service Forestier 28708 ( G, MO, P, TEF, W) .

Figures

Fig. 2. – Photographs of Diospyros L. species. A. Diospyros amborelloides G.E. Schatz & Lowry, branch with immature fruit; B–D. Diospyros antsirananae G.E. Schatz & Lowry: B. Branch with fruit; C. Branch with fruit; D. fruit; E–F. Diospyros bardotiae H.N. Rakouth, G.E. Schatz & Lowry: E. Branch with immature fruit; F. Immature fruits. [A: Rakotovao et al. 3882; B: Rakotonandrasana et al. 904; C–D: Rakotoarivelo 152; E: Randrianaivo 3273; F: Randrianaivo 3279] [Photos: A: C. Rakotovao; B, E–F: R. Randrianaivo;C–D: N. Rakotoarivelo]

Fig. 6. – Diospyros bardotiae H.N. Rakouth,G.E. Schatz & Lowry. A. Branch with mature fruits; B. Branch with immature fruits; C. Branch with male inflorescences.