Aspidostemon trichandra, Werff, 2006

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2006, A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae), Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 7-44 : 42-43

28. Aspidostemon trichandra

Van der Werff, sp. nov. ( Figs 13D ; 16D )

A congeneris staminodiis III omnino pilis brevibus obtectis recedit.

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Province de Diego-Suarez / Antsiranana, sous-préfecture de Vohemar, commune rurale de Daraina, forêt de Binara, 13°15’S, 49°37’E, 625 m, 29. III.2004, fl., Ranirison 528 (holo-, MO; iso-, G).

DESCRIPTION

Tree, 8 m. Twigs terete, glabrous, lenticellate, terminal buds glabrous. Leaves opposite, 12-15 × 3-4 cm, firmly chartaceous, glabrous, oblong to oblong-elliptic, the base acute, the apex finely acute to acuminate, the tip to 1.5 cm long and with an inrolled margin, reticulation immersed on upper surface, weakly raised on lower surface, lateral veins difficult to discern, c. 10 on each side, petioles c. 1 cm long, glabrous, terete and narrowly canaliculate above. Inflorescences 2.5-5 cm long, with a few scattered hairs, these denser towards the flowers, pedicels 2-3 mm long. Flowers 2-3 mm in diam., conical to broadly conical, tepals c. 0.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, the margin finely ciliate; stamens 3, the tips of the anthers flat, the locelli apical; staminodia II not recognized, either reduced and covered by the tepals or fused with the staminodia III, staminodia III with flattened, peltate apices, fused, densely covered with short, erect hairs, these obscuring the surface, pistil 2 mm long, the ovary spindle-shaped, glabrous, 1 mm long, style glabrous, receptacle glabrous inside. Fruits unknown.

REMARKS

Aspidostemon trichandra can be readily recognized by the densely pubescent, flattened apices of the fused staminodia III. There are two other species with 3 stamens, fused staminodia III and staminodia III not glabrous, A. glandulosum and A. synandra . However, these species have papillose, not pubescent, staminodia III. In addition, A. glandulosum has pubescent, not glabrous, terminal buds and A. synandra has the center of the flowers raised, not flat, has smaller leaves (to 8 cm long), and has disc-shaped, not conical flowers. Aspidostemon trichandra is only known from the type collection ( Fig. 17 ). No vernacular name has been recorded.

ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION

600 m.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: March.

IMPERFECTLY KNOWN SPECIES

Figures

FIG. 13. — Scanning electron microscope images of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. microphyllum Van der Werff; B, A. occultum Van der Werff; C, A. parvifolium (Scott-Elliott) Van der Werff; D, A. trichandra Van der Werff. A, Schatz & Carlson 2925, MO; B, Service Forestier 28709, MO; C, McPherson 14362, MO; D, Ranirison 528, MO. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIG. 16. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. reticulatum Van der Werff; B, A. synandra Rohwer; C, A. trianthera (Kosterm.) Rohwer;D, A. trichandra Van der Werff. A, Service Forestier 20011, MO; B, Service Forestier 15610, P; C, Service Forestier 12064, MO; D, Ranirison 528, MO.

FIG. 17. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar: ■, A. reticulatum Van der Werff; ▲, A. synandra Rohwer; ▲, A. trianthera (Kosterm.) Rohwer; Ϙ, A. trichandra Van der Werff.