Gossia conspicua (Vieill. ex Guillaumin) N. Snow, 2020

Snow, Neil, 2020, A revision of New Caledonian Gossia N. Snow & Guymer (Myrtaceae), Adansonia 42 (7), pp. 131-177 : 154

Gossia conspicua (Vieill. ex Guillaumin) N. Snow , comb. nov. ( Figs 12H-K ; 14 )

Myrtus conspicua Vieill. ex Guillaumin, Bulletin de la Société botanique de France 85: 631 (1939). — Austromyrtus conspicua (Guillaumin) Burret, Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 15: 505 (1941). — Gossia alaternoides (Brongn. & Gris) var. conspicua (Vieill. ex Guillaumin) N. Snow, Austrobaileya 8: 180 (2010).

— Typus: New Caledonia. Grande Terre, South Prov ., Montagne de Ouatendé près Gatope , E.Vieillard 2618 (holo-, P [ P00602574 ]; iso-, G[G00341336, image seen], GH[GH00255460], P[P00462848, P00462849]).

REPRESENTATIVE HERBARIUM SPECIMEN. — P00602574. ETYMOLOGY. — Derivation uncertain.

DISTRIBUTION, HABITAT AND PHENOLOGY. — Southeast on Grande Terre ( Fig. 14 ) in maquis over ultramafics, c. 800-1350 m, and from the northwest at Oua Tilou and Point d’As; flowering December to May; fruiting confirmed January through November.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. North Prov., Vallée supérieure de la Riv. Voh, 24.IV.1951, Baumann-Bodenheim 12105 (P[P00462818], US, Z); Versant N de l’Oua Tilou, 14.IV.1951, Guillaumin & Baumann-Bodenheim 12361 (P[P00462819], RSA, US, Z) ; Slopes of Mt Koniambo , 400-800 m, 31.III.1956, MacKee 4264 (P[P00462839]) ; Mt. Koniambo , 400 m, 5.I.1961, MacKee 7965 ( CANB, P[P00462840], US) ; Crête Sud du Mont Taom , 1000 m, 31.VII.1981, MacKee 39391 ( NOU [ NOU028914 ], P[P00462842]). — South Prov., Sommet W du Mt. Humboldt, 1400 m, 21.IX.1951, Baumann-Bodenheim 15430 (A, BRI, P[P00459521], US, Z) ; Mont Oua tendé, 1868, without collector, (P[P00462846]); Crête de la Montagne des Sources , 8.III.1951, Hürlimann 1002 (A, P[P00462824], US, Z) ; Sommet Point d’As , 19.XI.1971, Jaffré 535 ( NOU [ NOU028908 ], P[P00462830]) ; Crête de la Montagne des Sources , 1000 m, 13.III.1951, MacKee 2237 (P[P00462836]) ; Plateau below Montagne des Sources, 800 m, 23.IX.1956, MacKee 5328 (L, P[P05221714]) ; Mont Kouakoué , south of summit, forest above creek, 21°57’46”S, 166°32’06”E, 1200 m, 9. V.2006, McPherson 19407 et al. (KS- P[ KSP004706 ], MO, NOU [ NOU017142 ], P[P06668975]) ; Mont Kouakoué , 1250-1350 m, 30.IV.2006, Pillon 396 et al. (MO[ MO-04860792 ], NOU [ NOU012051 ], P[P06668688]) ; Mont Kouakoué , 21°58’1”S, 166°32’34”E, 1044 m, 12.I.2002, Tronchet 604 (MO[ MO-04796930 ], NOU [ NOU004501 ], P[P00354719]) .

DESCRIPTION

Shrubs

0.2-1.5 m.

Internodes

Mostly <5 mm near tips of branchlets.

Branchlets

Terete, shortly tomentose on emergence but becoming increasingly glabrous.

Leaves

Stiffly coriaceous, 2-4 per node; petioles 1.5-3.1 mm, sulcate above throughout; blades (1.5-)2.0- 3.1 cm, broadly linear to narrowly elliptic or narrowly obovate, base cuneate, margin strongly recurved throughout, apex retuse, midnerve above sulcate proximally becoming flush distally, the secondary (and less frequently) tertiary veins somewhat raised, oil glands of lower surface present, somewhat sparse and obscure.

Inflorescence

Less than 1 cm (including flower), pedicels 3.5-6.0 mm, monads axillary, extrafloral bracts absent.

Bracteoles

2.6-4.0 mm, linear, soon deciduous.

Hypanthium

3-4 mm, obconic, smooth, lanate; ovary apex indumentum unknown.

Calyx

Lobes 5, 1.6-2.1 mm, broadly triangular to narrowly oblong, lanate. Petals and stamens not seen.

Style

c. 3 mm (material scant), hairy proximally.

Fruits (material scant)

5-6 mm, globose, base rounded, green becoming pale purple to blackish; seeds (only 1 seen) 1 per fruit, c. 3.4 mm.

REMARKS

The size, shape, texture, strong marginal recurvation, and emergent indumentum of the young leaves of Gossia conspicua comb. nov. most closely resemble Gossia virotii (which see, for details). Although subtle, the nodes can be somewhat swollen, thus resembling small platforms from which the petioles arise (e.g., Tronchet 604). One specimen with atypically narrow leaf blades (MacKee 39391) resembles Gossia virotii .

Figures

FIG. 12. — A-D, Gossia colnettiana (Guillaumin) N. Snow: A, branch and inflorescence; B, bracteoles and flower bud; C, flower minus petals and stamens; D, longitudinal section through flower showing bilocular ovary with axile placentation;E-G, Gossia conduplicata N.Snow,sp.nov.: E, branch with inflorescences;F, leaves (lateral (left) and dorsal (right) views);G, immature fruit views, apical (left) and lateral (right); H-K, Gossia conspicua (Vieill. ex Guillaumin) N. Snow, comb.nov.: H, branch with dense leaves and short internodes; I, strongly recurved leaf blades; J, flower (apical view minus two petals at left), lateral view (right); K, immature fruit. Vouchers: A-C, MacKee 19108 (BISH);D, Jaffré 3228 (NOU);E-G, MacKee 17222 (NOU); H, I, K, Veillon 5958 (NOU); J, MacKee 5328 (P). Scale bars:A, E, 2 cm;B-D,G, J, K, 2 mm; F, 1 cm; H, I, 5 mm.

FIG. 14. — Distribution maps of Gossia conspicua (Guillaumin ex Vieill.) N. Snow, comb. nov., G. katepahiensis N. Snow, sp. nov., and G. kuakuensis (Baker f.) N. Snow.