Noronhia patricei

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 : 203-205

62. Noronhia patricei Hong-Wa, spec. nova ( Fig. 46).

Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: Analanjirofo, Ambanizana , along path between Ambanizana-Andranobe , 15°38’29”S 49°57’54”E, 7 m, 25.X.2004, Antilahimena 2959 (holo-: MO-6615553!; iso-: G [ G00341616 ]!, K!, P [ P03532773 ]!, TAN!) .

Diagnosis

Noronhia patricei Hong-Wa can be distinguished from its congeners by its three-verticillate, large leaves, its fasciculate infructescences, and its large fruits characterized by a thick pericarp.

Description

Trees to 11 m tall, trunk to 16 cm diameter; young twigs subquadrangular to cylindrical, 5.5-8.6 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium gray, rugose. Leaves verticillate, persistent; bud scales persistent; blades medium green above, lighter below, lanceolate, 26-36 3 4.5-9.5 cm, very coriaceous, glabrous, domatia absent, base acute, margin flat, apex acuminate, the acumen 5-12 mm long, midrib deeply sunken above, distinctly raised below, secondary veins conspicuous, 14-20 per side, 19-40 mm apart, looping 2-7 mm from the margin; petiole medium to dark gray, 16-20 3 4-6.5 mm, entirely woody, glabrous. Flowers unseen, but infructescence thyrsoid, fasciculate. Fruiting pedicel 5-11 3 3.5-5 mm; young fruits green, yellow when mature, ovoid to oblong, 25-38 3 19.5-24 mm, surface smooth, sometimes covered with white dots, apex flat to bluntly pointed; dry pericarp 2.2-3 mm thick; endocarp woody; seed 15 3 20 mm.

Etymology

This species is dedicated to Patrice Antilahimena, a botanist at the Missouri Botanical Garden in Madagascar, for collecting the type specimen and for keeping an eye out for Noronhia during his extensive fieldwork.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Noronhia patricei occurs in low-elevation humid forests and basement rocks and unconsolidated sands in the Masoala region in northeastern Madagascar ( Fig. 36 ). It fruits from October to June.

Conservation status

Noronhia patricei is currently known only from five collections representing five localities. The assessment resulted in an EOO of 1,023 km 2, an AOO of 20 km 2, and four subpopulations representing four locations, of which two occur within a protected area (Masoala). With decline in habitat quality, habitat loss and reduction of the number of mature individuals likely to continue outside of the protected area as a result of wood harvesting and land conversion, the small EOO and AOO as well as the small number of locations, N. patricei is assigned a preliminary status of “Endangered” [EN B1ab(i,ii,i ii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)].

204 Boissiera 70

Notes

Noronhia patricei is similar to N. crassiramosa but can be distinguished by its entirely verticillate (vs. verticillate only at the tips of the branches), lanceolate (vs. oblong) leaves, and its ovoid to oblong (vs. subglobose) fruits with a flat (vs. apiculate) apex. Its three-verticillate, large leaves, fasciculate infructescences, and large fruits characterized by a thick pericarp allow for the unambiguous identification of this species.

Paratypi

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Maroantsetra, Anjahana , Ambanizana , 15°37’03”S 49°58’36”E, 200 m, 11.VI.2002, Antilahimena 1090 ( G, MO, P); Antalaha, Ampanavoana , forêt de Faho, [15°41’S 50°21’E], 24.IV.1951, Service Forestier 87R140 ( TEF) . Prov. Toamasina: Ambatondradama (env. 10 km au NE d’Ankovona ), Navana , 15°17’13”S 50°01’10”E, 500 m, 27.IX-6.X.1997, Ralimanana et al. 111 ( MO, P, TAN); Maroantsetra, Anjahana , Ambanizana , Tampolo (Masoala), 15°43’45”S 49°57’38”E, 10 m, 19.X.2001, Randrianaivo 710 ( MO, P, TAN) .

Figures

Fig. 36. Distribution maps of species of Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars.N. maculata Hong-Wa to N. perrieriana Hong-Wa.