Kalanchoe sanctula Descoings (1997: 87)

Shtein, Ronen, Smith, Gideon F. & Ikeda, Jun, 2021, Aspects of the taxonomy of the Kalanchoe daigremontiana species complex (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae) and associated interspecific hybrids in southern Madagascar, with the description of a new nothospecies, K. × descoingsii (= K. laetivirens × K. tubiflora), Phytotaxa 524 (4), pp. 235-260 : 248-249

3. Kalanchoe sanctula Descoings (1997: 87) ( Fig. 8 ).

Homotypic synonym:— Bryophyllum sanctulum (Desc.) Byalt (2008: 464) . Type:— MADAGASCAR. Sud-est, région de Tôlanara (Fort Dauphin), environs d’Amboasary, route d’Ambovombé , collines boisées, sol léger, en exposition éclairée, 13 novembre 1994, [English: “ MADAGASCAR. South-east, Taolagnaro region, surroundings of Amboasary, Ambovombé road , wooded hills, light soil, illuminated exposure, 13 November 1994 ”] [B.M.] Descoings 28180 (holotype P †) . Neotype:— Clonally derived material from Descoings 28180, first cultivated in France, by Bernard Descoings , then by Philippe Richaud, then cultivated and collected for preservation in Israel, R. Shtein 832 (neotype TELA [ TELA937 ]; isoneotype TELA [ TELA938 ]), designated here.

Notes on the type:—The holotype of the name K. sanctula is a specimen, B.M. Descoings 28180, dated 13 November 1994, which Descoings stated to have deposited at Herb. P ( Descoings 1997: 87). However, as is the case with the type specimen of the name K. laetivirens , this specimen is not extant at that repository (Florian Jabbour, pers. comm.). Apart from the specimen B.M. Descoings 28180, no other material that would qualify as original in the sense of Turland et al. (2018: Art. 9.4) could be traced. We accordingly here neotypify (see above) the name K. sanctula on R. Shtein 832, a specimen held at Herb. TELA. This specimen was clonally derived from the original gathering from which the holotype was prepared.

Unlike K. laetivirens , K. sanctula so far remains rare in cultivation, possibly because it has not been offered for sale or exchange through large-scale international horticultural introduction programmes. As a result, K. sanctula has yet to be reported as having successfully colonised locations outside Madagascar.

Natural distribution:—Southern Madagascar, region of Amboasary ( Fig. 9 ).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Kalanchoe sanctula in cultivation, in Israel. A. Apex of a plant showing the characteristic yellowish or brownish green colouration and dark leaf margins. B. A peltate leaf, bearing numerous bulbils and bulbil pedestals; also showing bulbils bearing bulbils themselves, as well as roots. C. Plants at early anthesis with peduncular leaves still present, transitioning from ovate auriculate to attenuate lanceolate. Flowers have a small calyx and a highly medially inflated, green-infused, pink corolla that is much wider than the calyx in width. D. Flower colour later in anthesis. E. Plant in flower, displaying yellow leaf colouration, a comparatively large reproductive part, and wilted peduncular leaves. Photographs: Ronen Shtein.

FIGURE 9.All documented occurrences of representatives of the Kalanchoe daigremontiana species complex, and associated interspecific hybrids, in southern Madagascar. The precise locality of the type of K. tubiflora in Madagascar is insufficiently known to be placed (see Figueiredo & Smith 2017: 771). Overlapping markers are separated using Point Displacement in QGIS, except of the marker of the locality of the neotype of K. sanctula which is overlapped by the marker of the type of the name and is not displayed. © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locality information is included in the Supplementary file.