Salacia hallei Jongkind, 2006

Jongkind, Carel C. H., 2006, Novitates Gabonenses 60. Salacia hallei, a name for a rare Celastraceae species from western central Africa, Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 101-104 : 103-104

Salacia hallei Jongkind , sp. nov.

( Fig. 1)

Salacia spec. N. Hallé (1986): 145.

Liana magna, ramulis lenticellatis. Folia subopposita, in sicco discoloria. Inflorescentiae pedunculatae. Pedicellus 18 mm, gracilis . Flos c. 10 mm in diam. Petala 3,5-4,5 mm lata. Stamina brevia. Discus subpentagonatus. Ovula 4-6 in quoque loculo. Fructus ignotus.

TYPUS. — Gabon. Haut-Ogooué, about 30 km E of Lastoursville , S of Bambidie, 3.X.1997, Breteler & Leal 14170 (holo-, WAG; iso-, BR, LBV, K, MO, P).

PARATYPES. — Gabon. NE of Asok , 560 m, 17.VIII.1978, Breteler & de Wilde 84 ( WAG) . — Between Doussala and Igotchi , SW of Doussala , 29.XI.1986, de Wilde, Arends & de Bruijn 9038 ( BR, EA, K, LBV, MA, MO, P, PRE, SRGH, WAG). — Makanda surroundings, about 65 km SSW of Booué , 2.III.1999, Breteler et al. 15273 ( LBV, BR, WAG) . — Réserve de Lopé-Okanda , 10.XI.1990, L.J. T. White [series 2] 176 (MO, WAG) .

Angola, Cabinda. Mayumbe, collines de Mbulu, région de Hambe, 11.IV.1919, Gossweiler 7993 ( BR) .

DESCRIPTION

Large liana. Branchlets densely lenticellate, glabrous. Leaves subopposite; petiole 1-2 cm long; blade elliptic to ovate-elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 11-26 cm × 4.5-12 cm, entire, glabrous, when dry greyish-green above and olive-green beneath; midrib prominent above, 5-7 pairs of main lateral nerves, tertiary nervation subparallel and almost perpendicular on midrib; base acute to obtuse; apex acuminate; no resinous threads present to the breaking leaf. Inflorescence subumbellate or cymose; peduncle 4-7 mm long. Flower c. 10 mm wide, completely glabrous; slender pedicel up to 18 mm long; calyx c. 2.5 mm across with short and rounded calyx-lobes, pale green, margin often fimbriate; petals orbiculare, spreading, 3.5- 4.5 mm wide, pale orange; 3 stamens, c. 1 mm long, anthers very short, both in one line, pale orange; disk 1.5-2 mm wide, slightly angular, dark orange to red; style shorter than stamens; 4 to 6 ovules in two rows in each carpel; flower in bud wider than high. Fruit not known.

REMARKS

In the keys of the Flore du Gabon the new species would end up on page 36 next to S. devredii Wilcz. and S. lehmbachii Loes. However the shape of its disk is different from that of both other species, it is more or less pentagonal but not cupuliform like in S. devredii and not as flat as in S. lehmbachii . An other important character is the number of ovules in each carpel, S. devredii has only 2 ovules per carpel while S. hallei has 4 to 6 ovules. The difference with S. lehmbachii , with 2-4 ovules per carpel, will be less clear at this point, but in addition the leaves and habit are clearly different. Salacia lehmbachii is never a liana and does not show the subparallel tertiary venation, which is characteristic of S. hallei . The new species can even be identified when sterile because of its characteristic venation and conspicuously tuberculate branches.

HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION

Dense equatorial forest in Gabon and Angola ( Cabinda).

Looking at its geographical distribution on the map and its ecology it is likely that S. hallei can be found in the dense forest in Congo-Brazzaville south of Gabon as well ( Fig. 2 ).

CONSERVATION STATUS

The species is here mentioned as rare because it is represented by only few collections compared to a large number of other, just as conspicuous, Salacia species. Because the new species seems to be widely spread in the southern part of the Lower Guinean forest area, an area with still an abundant presence of original forest, it can at the moment not be considered as threatened.

Figures

FIG. 2. — Distribution of Salacia hallei Jongkind.