Cyrtandra thibaultii Fosberg & Sachet, Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 47: 28. 1981.

Wagner, Warren L., Wagner, Anthony J. & Lorence, David H., 2013, Revision of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) in the Marquesas Islands, PhytoKeys 30, pp. 33-64 : 40-42

3. Cyrtandra thibaultii Fosberg & Sachet, Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 47: 28. 1981. Fig. 5

Type.

Marquesas Islands: Nuku Hiva: Tovii, 850-900 m, 9 July 1975, J.-C.Thibault 134 (holotype: US-02969235!; isotype: US!).

Description.

Shrubs 2-5 m. Leaves opposite, borne on upper 4-8 nodes, oblong-elliptic to elliptic, 16-29 × 6.5-13 cm, upper surface glabrate or ferruginous pubescent on veins, lower surface densely or moderately ferruginous pubescent, apex acuminate, base cuneate, petioles 2-6 cm long, appressed ferruginous pubescent. Flowers in open, loose cymes, 14-30 cm long, arising in the upper leaf axils, appressed ferruginous pubescent, peduncle 80-90 mm long, ca. 1-2 mm in diameter, pedicels 10-15 mm, elongating to 25-30 mm in fruit, bracts triangular, ca. 6-11 mm; calyx cylindrical-ellipsoid, pale green, plicate, 25-45 mm long, appressed ferruginous pubescent, lobes 5-17 mm long, deciduous after anthesis; corolla funnelform, tube 25-50 mm long, lobes about 15-20 mm long; style 10 mm long, appressed to spreading pubescent. Berry fusiform, ca. 45 mm long. Seeds broadly elliptic or ovoid, 0.3-0.4 mm long, reticulate.

Distribution.

Marquesas Islands, scattered, on Nuku Hiva from the Toovii Plateau to Mt. Ooumu, and on Ua Pou from Oave, Teavahaakiti, and Pouakei, from 700 to 1050 m.

Ecology.

Cyrtandra thibaultii is known from Metrosideros collina , Weinmannia marquesana , and Freycinetia impavida forest with an association with diverse shrubs and trees such as species of Cheirodendron , Coprosma , Crossostylis , Hernandia , Ilex , Melicope , Psychotria , Trimenia , and Xylosma .

Conservation Status.

IUCN Red List Category: Endangered EN B1ab (i,ii,iii) + 2 ab (i,ii,iii). B2: total area of occupancy less than 5000 km2 (ca. 445 km2). B1a, severely fragmented; B1b (i-iii), habitat continuing decline inferred. The suitable habitat for Cyrtandrathibaultii on Nuku Hiva (ca. 340 km2) and Ua Pou (ca. 105 km2), is restricted to mountain slopes and summits, indicated as an endangered environment that is threatened by human activity (deforestation and fire), feral animals, and invasive plants, reducing the extent of the forest ( Florence and Lorence 1997; Mueller-Dombois and Fosberg 1998; Meyer and Salvat 2009).

Specimens Examined.

Marquesas Islands. Nuku Hiva: Toovii Valley, 3 July 1970, Gillett 2156 (BISH, US); forêt de montagne à l’ouest de Toovii, 2 March 1973, Hallé 2064 (US); Toovii region, NW of l’Economie Rurale complex along new road to airport over flanking mountains, 1020-1030 m, 3 August 1988, Lorence, Wagner, Montgomery, Florence & Bishop 6268 (PAP); Toovii, épaulement S du Mt. Ooumu, 880 m, 8°51'S, 140°8'W, 1 December 1982, Florence 4232 (BISH [2], K, NY, P, US); Toovii, vallon du réservoir, 830 m, 8°52'S, 140°9'W, 26 May 1984, Florence 6737 (BISH [2]); Toovii Plateau, spur of Mt. Ooumu, 790 m, 16 July 1977, Gagné 1048 (BISH, US); W part of Toovii, along new road W of l’Economie Rurale, 1170 m, 16 July 1988, Wagner, Lorence, Florence & Perlman 6096 (BISH, P, US) & 6097 (BISH, MO, US); Toovii Plateau, l’Economie Rurale, along new road, 994 m, 16 July 1988, Perlman, Wagner, Lorence & Florence 10095 (BISH, PTBG, US); Toovii, N of agriculture station, along drainage and up to ridge, 808 m, 8°50'8.6"S, 140°8'6.8"W, 22 June 1997, Wood & Meyer 6325 (MPU, P, PAP, PTBG, US, WU), Wood & Meyer 6325-A (PTBG); between Taiohae Bay and Hooumi Bay,>700 m, 20 July 1977, Gagné 1150 (BISH, US); S of Airport road, drainages of Tapueahu gulch, to NW of Toovii over summit crest, 963 m, 21 September 1995, Perlman & Wood 15020 (BISH, MO, P, PAP, PTBG, US, WU). Ua Pou: Vallon en contrebas de la crête reliant Poumaka et la crête sommitale Oave-Teavahaakiti, 750 m, 22 July 2003, Meyer 2541 (BISH, P, PAP, PTBG, US); Pou Maka, ridge between Pou Maka and Oave, 792 m, 9°23'7.7"S, 140°4'W, 22 July 2005, Perlman 19730 (P, PAP, PTBG, US); forested ridge and slopes up to Pouakei, northwest side, 930 m, 9°24'S, 140°5'W, 21 Nov 2003, Wood 10428 (PTBG, US); forested ridge and slopes up to Teavahaakiti, northwest side, 914 m, 24 Nov 2003, Wood 10449 (PTBG, US).

Discussion.

The sample used (Wood 10428) in the molecular study by Clark et al. (2009) was identified as Cyrtandra nukuhivensis , but during this taxonomic revision it was re-identified as the closely related Cyrtandra thilbaultii .

Figures

Figure 5. Cyrtandra thibualtii Fosberg & Sachet A Habit, S. Perlman et al 10095 (PTBG) B Flower, lateral view C Corolla, longitudinal section. Drawn from Perlman et al 10095 (US) and field images.