Natsiatum herpeticum Buch.

Rio, Cédric Del, Stull, Gregory W. & Franceschi, Dario De, 2020, Survey of the fruits and endocarps of Icacinaceae (Lamiids, Icacinales), European Journal of Taxonomy 645, pp. 1-130 : 58

Natsiatum herpeticum Buch. -Ham. ex Arn.

Fig. 19.18–19.26

Material examined

Specimen used for endocarp and fruit description

CHINA • 1903; H.B. Cale s.n.; P [ MNHN-P-P04513511 ].

Description

FRUIT. Elliptical to ovoid, apex slightly asymmetrical, black when mature. Epicarp strigose, with yellow simple hairs with granular ornamentation. Mesocarp 98–126 µm thick when dry. Calyx persistent. Length 10.2–15.0 mm, width 7.6–10.0 mm, thickness 5.6 mm.

ENDOCARP. Cream, elliptical to ovoid in lateral view, lenticular in transverse section, length ca 9 mm, width ca 7 mm, thickness ca 5.1 mm. Keel surrounding the endocarp in the plane of symmetry, with a central channel. Apex asymmetrical and acute in lateral view; base rounded, symmetrical. Outer surface of the endocarp ridged, ridges faintly apparent, with at least two main longitudinal ridges; the median ridge reaching the point of the base. Ridges thin and rounded, with a median channel, delimiting a sparse reticulum with only 3–4 polygonal areoles visible. Vasculature resting in the channels of the ridges; endocarp primary vascular bundle semi-embedded within the endocarp wall in the channel of the keel. Endocarp wall 280–370 µm thick excluding ridges (432–531 µm thick including ridges). Endocarp wall with two cell layers: outermost layer with 0–3 row(s) of isodiametric cells (mesocarp-endocarp cell transition), cells 15.1–19.7 µm in diameter; innermost layer with 12–16 rows of periclinally oriented cells, cells 12.7–21.5 µm in width. Locule surface unknown, lacunate.

Remarks

A figure from Stull et al. (2011) shows the endocarp of Natsiatum herpeticum Buch. -Ham. ex Arn. better preserved with more areoles and freely ending ridgelets than seen here. We speculate that the development of the endocarp in our sample was halted, or the endocarp was decayed by fungal attacks (see Discussion for preservation issues).