Xyloolaena perrieri F. Gérard

Lowry Ii, Porter P., Schatz, George E. & Wolf, Anne-Elizabeth, 2002, Endemic families of Madagascar. VIII. A synoptic revision of Xyloolaena Baill. (Sarcolaenaceae), Adansonia (3) 24 (1), pp. 7-19 : 12

2. Xyloolaena perrieri F. Gérard

Ann. Inst. Bot.-Géol. Colon. Marseille, sér. 3, 7: 90 (1919). — Type: Perrier de la Bâthie 3018, Madagascar, Prov. Antsiranana, bois secs, bassin de la Loky [=Lokia], granite, [13°16’S, 49°26’E], Nov. 1909, fl. (holo-, P!; iso-, K!, MO!, P (2 sheets)!) .

Xyloolaena perrieri is a tree c. 4-10 m tall that has been recorded at scattered localities from near Morondava, Ankarafantsika PN and the Lokia [=Loky] river basin E of Ambilobe (Fig. 1) within Madagascar’s dry bioclimatic region. Although the known populations are widely disjunct, it may be that this species is more continuously distributed (but bridging the humid Sambirano region) and has simply not yet been recorded from the intervening areas, large parts of which remain under-explored. Xyloolaena perrieri differs from other members of the genus by having erect, cup-shaped red flowers borne in pairs within the involucre, and leaves with bullate blades in which the secondary veins are strongly impressed on the upper surface.

VERNACULAR NAME. — Zahana.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — With an area of occupancy <2,000 km 2 containing fewer than 5 sub-populations, only one of which is within the current protected areas network, Xyloolaena perrieri is assigned a preliminary status of Vulnerable (VU).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Du Puy & Du Puy MB249, Andranomena RS; Noyes et al. 1025, Kirindy; Perrier de la Bâthie 3018, bassin de la Loky; Rahantamalala 151, Morondava; Randriamarosoa 402, Kirindy; Réserves Naturelles 4183, 4683, Ankarafantsika RNI; Service Forestier 5487, Ankarafantsika RNI; Service Forestier 15838, Manirena.