Noronhia lowryi

Hong-Wa, Cynthia, 2016, A taxonomic revision of the genus Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars (Oleaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Boissiera 70, pp. 1-292 : 160-162

47. Noronhia lowryi Hong-Wa, spec. nova ( Fig. 31B , 32).

Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Fianarantsoa: Amoron’i Mania, Itremo massif, W of Ambatofinandrahana , along road to Col d’Itremo, c. 2 km before ( NE of) bridge over Ambalarangolana creek, 20°33’58”S 46°35’35”E, 1450 m, 10.XI.2002, Lowry et al. 5906 (holo-: MO-6615550!; iso-: BR!, G [ G00341613 ]!, K!, P [ P03532782 ]!, TAN!, US!, WAG!) .

Diagnosis

Noronhia lowryi Hong-Wa can be distinguished from other members of the genus in Madagascar by its small, elliptic leaf blades, its white, tubular flowers and its pear-shaped fruits.

Description

Shrubs up to 1.5 m tall; young twigs 1-2 mm diameter, glabrous; bark light brown, rugose, with scattered lenticels. Leaves opposite, persistent; bud scales rarely persistent; blades medium green above, lighter below, elliptic, 2-5 3 1.5-2.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, domatia absent, base rounded, margin flat to slightly revolute, apex rounded, midrib slightly sunken above, flat below, secondary veins inconspicuous, 6-10 per side, 4-11 mm apart, looping 1-2.5 mm from the margin; petiole yellowish, 1-3 3 1-2 mm, not woody, glabrous. Thyrses solitary to geminate, pauciflorous, compact; peduncle 1-3 mm long, moderately pubescent; pedicel 1.5-3 mm long, moderately pubescent; calyx moderately pubescent outside, glabrous inside, lobes triangular, 1.5-1.8 3 1.5-2 mm; corolla white, tubular, 8-13 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 7-12 mm long, lobes triangular, apex acute; corona absent; stamens 1.5-2.2 mm long, anthers oblong to obovate, 1.2-1.4 mm long; pistil 1.6-2 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruiting pedicel 2-8 3 2-2.5 mm; young fruits green, brownish to blackish when mature, ovoid to pyriform, 21-27 3 15-18 mm, covered with white dots, apex flat to bluntly pointed; dry pericarp 0.8 mm thick; endocarp woody; seed 10 3 12.5 mm.

Etymology

This species is dedicated to Porter P. Lowry II, Senior Curator at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, who collected the type specimen and provided many detailed and helpful suggestions that improved this revision, and whose work and leadership continuously advance our knowledge of the Malagasy flora.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Noronhia lowryi occurs in high-elevation woodlands on marble-quartzite and base-ment rocks in the Itremo massif, in central Madagascar ( Fig. 27 ). It produces flowers and fruits from October to November.

Conservation status

Noronhia lowryi is currently known only from three collections representing three localities. With an EOO of 26 km 2, an AOO of 8 km 2, and two subpopulations representing two locations, it is assigned a preliminary status of “Endangered” EN B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)]. Although a new protected area has recently been established in the area where this species occurs (Itremo), it actually does not encompass the currently known subpopulations of N. lowryi , which are thus still subject to the effects of habitat degradation and habitat loss resulting from wildfires and grazing.

162 Boissiera 70

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Notes

Noronhia lowryi is very distinctive, generally resembling a Comoranthus , whose fruit is a capsule instead of a drupe. It has the second largest flowers within the genus, after Noronhia humbertiana , and differs from any other species of Noronhia by its long tubular corolla, the tube of which measures 7-12 mm long.

Paratypi

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Fianarantsoa: Ambatofinandrahana, Andraikita, Saronara , Ambalambony , 20°29’25”S 46°49’10”E, 1443 m, 31.X.2004, Andriamihajarivo 398 ( MO, TAN); Ambatofinandrahana, Ranomafana , 20°35’S 46°36’E, 1450 m, 6.X.1996, A. Randrianasolo 490 ( K, MO) .

Figures

Fig.31. Photographs of Noronhia Stadtm.ex Thouars

Fig. 27. Distribution maps of species of Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars. N. intermedia Hong-Wa to N. macrocarpa Hong-Wa.