Cyrtandra tahuatensis Fosberg & Sachet, Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 47: 31. 1981.

Wagner, Warren L., Wagner, Anthony J. & Lorence, David H., 2013, Revision of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) in the Marquesas Islands, PhytoKeys 30, pp. 33-64 : 52-53

9. Cyrtandra tahuatensis Fosberg & Sachet, Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 47: 31. 1981. Fig. 11

Type.

Marquesas Islands: Tahuata: Above Hamatea, on central crest of U’ua’o, 850 m, 31 May 1975, J.-C. Thibault 83 (holotype: US-2969232! & US-2969234!, mounted on 2 sheets; isotype: US!).

Description.

Shrub to 1-4 m tall; stems ferruginous pubescent. Leaves opposite, densely ferruginous pubescent, elliptic to broadly elliptic, 12-22 × 5-9.5 cm, apex acuminate, base attenuate, margins serrate, petioles 2-5 cm long. Flowers 1-3 in cymes to 20 cm, peduncles 6-8.5 cm long, ca. 2-3 mm in diameter, pedicels 20-35 mm, bracts ca. 4 mm; calyx green, 12-20 mm, divided almost to base, densely ferruginous pubescent deciduous; corolla ca. 25 mm long, tube cylindrical, 18-20 mm long, lobes suborbicular; ovary ca. 8-14 mm, densely pilose, style 4-5 mm, densely pilose. Immature fruit narrowly ovoid, ca. 15 mm long, densely pubescent.

Distribution.

Marquesas Islands, occurring on Hiva Oa and Tahuata, from 690 to 830 m.

Ecology.

Cyrtandra tahuatensis is known from ridges and summit areas in wet forest and shrublandwith shrubs and trees such as species of Coprosma , Crossostylis , Freycinetia , Ilex , Melicope , Metrosideros , Polyscias , and Weinmannia .

Conservation status.

IUCN Red List Category: Endangered EN B1ab(i,ii,iii) + 2ab(i,ii,iii). B2: total area of occupancy less than 5000 km2 (ca. 376 km2). B1a, severely fragmented; B1b (i-iii), habitat continuing decline inferred. The suitable habitat for Cyrtandra tahuatensis on Hiva Oa (ca. 315 km2), and Tahuata (ca. 61 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. Hiva Oa: Mt. Ootua, 750 m, 27 February 1975, Oliver & Schäfer 3223 (BISH, US); road from Atuona to Puamau, just below Mt. Ootua, 660-690 m, 22 January 1975, Sachet, Oliver & Schäfer 2127 (BISH, CBG, CHR, NSW, PTBG, US). Tahuata: ridge from Amatea to Moteve passing Meikaea, view down is on village of Hanatetena, on W side of ridge, 823 m, 13 July 1997, Perlman, Wood & Luce 15976 (MO, NY, P, PAP, PTBG, US, WU); ridge E of trail ridge up to Amatea from Kuaee, W facing slope, 774 m, 9°56'S, 139°4'W, 18 July 1997, Perlman, Wood & Luce 16010 (BISH, F, HAST, K, MO, NY, P, PAP, PTBG, US, WU); summit ridge near Haaiputeomo, satellite dish region NE of Vaitahu, 762-823 m, 9°57'19"S, 139°5'7.4"W, 17-19 July 1997, Wood 6553 (PTBG), Wood 6563 (AD, BISH, HAST, MO, NY, P, PAP, PTBG, US, WU); Amatea region, locations around Haaoiputeomo satelite dish (parabowl), 823 m, 9°9.2'S, 139°8'W, 4 Jul 2003, Wood 10266 (PAP, PTBG, US). Fatu Hiva: Mounanui slopes, from Teavapuhiau pass, in gulches below mt., 680 m, 10°28'49.7"S, 138°38'17.0"W, 6 Feb 2003, Perlman 18399 (BISH, P, PAP, PTBG, US); slopes of Mounanui, 719 m, 10°28'6.63"S, 138°38'18"W, 16 July 2005, Perlman 19667 (BISH, P, PAP, PTBG, US); Crete du Mt. Mounanui, 805 m, 10°28'S, 138°37'W, 26 July 1988, Florence & Perlman 9589 (PTBG, US).

Discussion.

Perlman 18399, Wood 6563, and Wood 10266 were identified as Cyrtandra ootensis var. mollissima in the molecular study of Clark et al. (2009), but are here considered to represent Cyrtandra tahuatensis .

Figures

Figure 11. Cyrtandra tahuatensis Fosberg & Sachet A Habit, Wood 6563 (US) B Flower, lateral view, Perlman 18399 (US, PTBG) and photographs by Wood from greenhouse specimens grown at NTBG C Flower, face view, Perlman 18399 (US, PTBG) and photographs by Wood from greenhouse specimens at NTBG.