Ehretia phillipsonii J.S. Mill., 2002

Miller, James S., 2002, A revision of Ehretia (Boraginaceae) for Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 24 (2), pp. 137-157 : 152-154

6. Ehretia phillipsonii J.S. Mill. , sp. nov.

Frutex vel arbor parva, ramunculis juventute glanduloso-puberulis. Folia decidua, alterna vel in fasciculos compressos ramunculis lateralibus; lamina obovata usque oblanceolata, 1.5-4.5(-6.7) cm longa, 0.8-1.7(-3) cm lata, apice acuta usque acuminata vel rotundata, basi cuneata , margine integra, utrinque glabra vel minute puberula; petiolo 2-7(-17) mm longo. Inflorescentiae terminale, cymosae, usque ad 5(-7) cm latae. Flores bisexu- ales; calyce campanulato, 1.8-2.5 mm longo, 5-lobo, glanduloso-puberulo et margine ciliato. Fructus drupaceus, globosus, 3-4 mm longus; pyrenis 4, reticulatis.

TYPUS. — Humbert 2437 , Madagascar, Prov. Toliara, environs de Tuléar, coteaux calcaires, delta du Fiherenana, 2-10 m, 23 o 18’S, 43 o 36’E, fl., 14-26 Sep. 1924 (holo-, P!; iso-, MO!, P!) .

Shrub or small tree, the twigs glandular puberulent when young, later glabrous. Leaves alternate or in compressed fascicles on short, lateral branches, deciduous; blades obovate to oblanceolate, the widest point above the middle, 1.5- 4.5(-6.7) cm long, 0.8-1.7(-3) cm wide, the apex acute to acuminate or rounded, the base cuneate, the margin entire, both surfaces glabrous to minutely puberulent, the venation brochidodromous, the midrib raised to impressed on the adaxial surface, raised on the abaxial surface, the secondary veins 3-4(-6), the tertiary venation reticulate; petioles 2-7(-17) mm long, glabrous to sparsely puberulent, canaliculate on the adaxial surface. Inflorescences terminal on main or short, lateral branches, cymose, to 5(-7) cm broad, the branches densely glandular-puberulent; flowers bisexual; calyx campanulate, 1.8-2.5 mm long, the 5 lobes lanceolate, 1.2-2 mm long, acute at the apex, glandular-puberulent and ciliate on the margin; corolla white, tubular with spreading to reflexed lobes, 5-5.5 mm long, the tube 2.5- 3 mm long, the 5 lobes oblong, 2.5-4 mm long; stamens 5, prominently exserted, the filaments 5- 6 mm long, the upper 2.5-4 mm free, glabrous, the anthers obloid, 1-1.5 mm long; ovary ovoid, c. 1 mm long, the style 4-5 mm long, shortly bifid, glabrous, the 2 stigmas capitate. Fruits borne in the persistent calyx, drupaceous, orange at maturity, globose, 3-4 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, the endocarp bony, separating into 4 pyrenes at maturity, these 2.5-3 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, reticulate on the outer surface. — Fig. 7 .

Ehretia phillipsonii is the only lowland species of the genus in Madagascar with glandular pubescence on the inflorescence branches. Ehretia obtusifolia , the other glandular species in Madagascar, has elliptic leaves, whereas E. phillipsonii differs in its obovate to oblanceolate leaves that are widest above the middle. Two collections from Tuléar

7 mm

( Humbert 2347 and Perrier de la Bâthie 12833) have significantly larger leaves (up to 6.7 × 3 cm) than the other collections. This species is named in honor of Peter B. PHILLIPSON, who made one of the collections from Beza Mahafaly, and who’s collections from southern Madagascar have added so much to knowledge of the flora of the region.

DISTRIBUTION. — Ehretia phillipsonii species is known only from low elevation in the vicinity of Tuléar and to the south at Beza Mahafaly (Fig. 3).

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Provisional IUCN Red List Category: Endangered (EN B1abiiv+B2abi-iv). With an Extent of occurrence of 3,200 sq. km. and an Area of Occupancy of only 500 sq. km. Ehretia phillipsonii is known from two regions in southern Madagascar. The protected population at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve was discovered only recently and three collections were made there between 1987-1988. There have been no collections since 1959 from the second population, which was known from unprotected dry forests on sand north of Tuléar and along the Fiherenana River. This is an area that has been visited quite regularly by botanists in intervening years. While dry forest vegetation persists in much of this area it is highly disturbed and it may be that this species has been selectively removed for charcoal from these forests.

PARATYPES. — MADAGASCAR: Bosser 10393, Prov. Toliaram Miary , 23 o 18’S, 43 o 44’E, fr., Nov. 1956 ( P!) ; Bosser 10602, Prov. Toliara, environs de Tuléar, 23 o 21’S, 43 o 40’E, fl., Nov. 1956 ( P!) ; Decary 18794, Prov. Toliara, vallée du Manombo, 22 o 58’S, 43 o 58’E, fl., 26 Feb. 1943 ( MO!, P!) ; Dequaire 24230, s.loc., fl., s.date (P!); Dequaire 27417, Prov. Toliara, le long du canal de Belemboka, 23 o 18’S, 43 o 41’E, fl., s.date ( MO!, P!) ; Geay s.n., Prov. Toliara, s.loc., fl., Mar. 1906 ( P!) ; Grandidier s.n., s.loc., fl., s.date (P!); Herb. Institut Scientific, Madagascar 27417, s.loc., fl., s.date (P!); Miller 3439, Prov. Toliara, Beza Mahafaly , c. 30 km E of Betioky, along Sakamena River , 23 o 38’S, 44 o 38’E, fl., 10 Dec. 1988 ( MO!, TAN!) ; Peltier 1287, Prov. Toliara, Behompy , rive gauche du Fiherenana, 22 o 58’S, 44 o 19’E, fl., fr., 14 Nov. 1959 ( MO!, P!) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 12833, Prov. Toliara, endroits humides, environs de Tuléar, 23 o 21’S, 43 o 40’E, fl., Aug. 1919 ( MO!, P!) ; Phillipson 2390, Prov. Toliara, Beza Mahafaly Reserve , near Betioky , parcelle no. 1, 140 m, 23 o 40’S, 44 o 37’E, fl., 18 Oct. 1987 ( MO!, P!) ; Sussman 365, Prov. Toliara, Beza Mahafaly Reserve , 40 km NE of Betioky, Parcel #1, near Analafaly and Antevamena , 23 o 39’S, 44 o 39’E, fl., 4 Oct. 1987 ( MO!) .

Figures

Fig. 7. — Ehretia phillipsonii J.S. Mill.: A, flowering branch; B, branch with leaves; C, flower; D, flower with open corolla. A-D, from Humbert 2437 (P).