Ocotea cymosa (Nees) Palacký

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2013, A revision of the genus Ocotea Aubl. (Lauraceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 35 (2), pp. 235-279 : 247-248

8. Ocotea cymosa (Nees) Palacký

( Fig. 4 )

Catalogus plantarum madagascariensium 2: 9 (1907). Oreodaphne cymosa Nees, Systema Laurinarum: 437 (1836) . — Mespilodaphne cymosa (Nees) Meissner, Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis 15: 105 (1864) .

— Typus: Madagascar, without further data, fls, du Petit-Thouars s.n (holo-, B [Willd. 7813] ; iso-, MO, P [ P00573379 ]).

Agathophyllum lindleyanum Blume , Museum Botanicum 1: 340 (1851). — Mespilodaphne lindleyana (Bl.) Meissner, Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis 15: 105 (1864) . — Ocotea lindleyana (Bl.) Palacký , Catalogus plantarum madagascariensium 2: 9 (1907).

— Typus: Madagascar, without further data, fls, ex Herb. Lindley (holo-, L!).

Ravensara tapak Baillon, Bulletin mensuel de la société linnéenne de Paris 1: 448 (1885) . — Agathofyllum tapak (Baillon) Palacký , Catalogus plantarum madagascariensium 2: 9 (1907). — Mespilodaphne tapak (Baillon) Danguy, Bulletin du Muséum d’Histoire naturelle, Paris 26: 650 (1920) .

— Typus: Madagascar, without further data, fls, Poivre s.n. (holo-, P [ P00541573 ]! ; iso-, P[ P00497920 ]!) .

SELECTED SPECIMENS SEEN. — Antsiranana, WNW of Andapa, NW of village of Ambodisatrana , McPherson 17171 (MO) ; Toamasina, petit village Ambodiforaha, à 6 km Sud d’Ambanizana, Rabe et al. 68 (MO, P[ P02009673 ]) ; Toamasina, Parc National de Zahamena, Antanandava , Ankosy , Ratovoson et al. 251 (MO) ; Toamasina, Fiv. Moramanga, Fir. Ampitambe, Forêt d’Analamay, Rakotomalaza et al. 1368 (MO, P[ P00497886 ]) .

DISTRIBUTION. — Ocotea cymosa has a wide distribution along the eastern slope, from Farafangana in the south to Andapa in the north. It ranges from the coast to 1500 m altitude.

PHENOLOGY. — Flowering: May-August, mostly in June-July; fruiting specimens collected throughout the year.

VERNACULAR NAMES. — Varongy, varongy mainty, antafonana, tafonona, tafononana.

DESCRIPTION

Trees, to 20 m. Twigs ridged, appressed pubescent, becoming glabrous with age; terminal buds densely appressed pubescent. Leaves 6-17 × 2-8 cm, alternate, chartaceous, elliptic, glabrous, the base acute, apex shortly acuminate, densely and minutely gland-dotted on the lower surface, lateral veins 5-8, reticulation fine and raised on both surfaces, domatia absent. Petioles glabrous, flat above. Inflorescences appressed pubescent, paniculate-cymose, 2-4 cm long, grouped along leafless short shoots in the axils of leaves. Pedicels appressed pubescent, as long as the flowers. Flowers c. 5 mm in diam., tepals half-erect. Tepals elliptic, 3 mm long, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces, stamens 9, all 4-celled, 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous or nearly so; staminodia 3, small, stipitiform, pubescent; pistil glabrous, 2 mm long, receptacle cup-shaped, appressed pubescent inside. Fruit ovoid, 20 × 18 mm, cupule cup-shaped, 2.5 cm wide, 1.5 cm deep, tepals not persistent on the cupule.

REMARKS

Ocotea cymosa is a frequently collected species, best recognized by the minute and raised reticulation on both surfaces of the leaves, the short inflorescences arranged along leaf less short shoots and the glanddotted lower leaf surface. It can be confused with O. nervosa Kosterm. , but that species has a lax (and raised) reticulation and longer inflorescences. Ocotea nervosa is also infrequently collected.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Distribution of Ocotea cymosa (Nees) Palacký (N), O.eriothyrsa Kosterm.(p) and O.sambiranensis van der Werff (Ì).