Cynoglossum cernuum Baker

Miller, James S., 2005, A synopsis of the genus Cynoglossum L. (Boraginaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 27 (1), pp. 113-127 : 118

2. Cynoglossum cernuum Baker

J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 20: 211 (1884). — Type: Baron

2033, Madagascar, central Madagascar, fl., fr., s. date

(holo-, K!; iso-, P!).

Cynoglossum discolor Baker, J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 20: 212 (1884). — Type: Baron 1898, Madagascar, central Madagascar, fl., immature fr., Oct. 1882 (holo-, K!; iso-, P!).

Perennial herb, forming a rosette, from a woody taproot 3-6(-15) mm in diam.; stems erect, with sparse, fine, appressed hairs or glabrous. Basal leaves with blades linear or less commonly narrowly elliptic, 1.5-15.0 cm long, 2-5(-17) mm wide, the apex acute, the base attenuate, the margin usually entire, rarely unevenly serrate, the adaxial surface evenly strigose, the hairs fine, the abaxial surface unevenly strigose, more densely so towards the margin, the midrib impressed on the adaxial surface; petioles on the basal leaves 2-5.2 cm long, glabrous or nearly so; cauline leaves sessile; blades lanceolate to oblanceolate to linear, 1.5-5.0 cm long, 2-12 mm wide, the apex acute to acuminate, the base attenuate.

Inflorescences terminal, the stems usually branched multiple times into multi-flowered cymes; the flowers bisexual, borne on slender pedicels 1-1.5 mm long; sepals ovate, 1.5- 1.7 mm long, 0.5-0.8 mm wide, acute at the apex, evenly strigillose or with only a few scattered appressed hairs; corolla blue, campanulate, the tube c. 2 mm long, with raised, papillate faucal appendages, the lobes widely depressed ovate, c. 3 mm long, 2 mm wide; anthers borne just beneath the faucal appendages, c. 1 mm long, the filaments c. 1 mm long, glabrous; ovary less than 2 mm tall, the style 1.0- 1.5 mm long, the stigma capitate.

Fruits 3-6(-8) mm broad; nutlets depressed ovoid, 1.5-2 mm broad, the margin with a wing crested with glochidiate spines, the dorsal surface more or less glabrous or with a few scattered glochidia or a sparse median row of glochidia.

T h e t y p e o f Cy n o g l o s s u m d i s c o l o r (Ba ro n 1898) is incomplete material and difficult to assign with complete certainty. The leaves and general appearance of the plant are suggestive of C. cernuum and the few very immature nutlets on the holotype at K suggest that when mature they will lack glochidiate spines on the dorsal surface.

DISTRIBUTION. — Cynoglossum cernuum is known from upland regions in central and southern Madagascar ( Fig. 4 ) where it occurs from 1500-2200 m in elevation. It is also known from the Mascarenes.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Provisional IUCN Red List Category: Data Deficient (DD). Although Cynoglossum cernuum has a wide distribution within Madagascar, it has not been collected for nearly 50 years, and efforts to locate historical p o p u l a t i o n s w i l l t h e re f o re b e n e c e s s a r y t o document its present conservation status.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — MADAGASCAR: Baron 1828, Central Madagascar , fl., fr., Oct. 1882 ( BM!, K!) ; Campenon s.n., s. loc., fl., fr., s. date ( P!); Decary s.n., Prov. Antananarivo, Tsimbazaza, 18°55’S, 47°32’E, fl., fr., 16 Jan. 1917 ( MO!, P!) ; Decary 2012, Prov. Mahajanga, Ankaizina, 14°30’S, 48°55’E, fl., fr., 20 Apr. 1923 ( P!) ; Decary 17544, Prov. Fianarantsoa, forêt au S d’Ambositra, 20°32’S, 47°15’E, fl., fr., 8 Feb. 1942 ( MO!, P!) ; Guillaumet 3752, Prov. Fianarantsoa, Rive du Riembavy, Andohariana, Andringitra, 2000-2100 m, 21°10’S, 46°54’E, fl., fr., s. date ( P!, TAN) ; Hildebrandt 3644, Prov. Antananarivo, Andrangoloaka, 19°02’S, 47°55’E, fl., Nov. 1880 ( BM!, G, K!, P!) ; Humbert 3671, Prov. Fianarantsoa, Massif de l’Andringitra (Iratsy), vallées de la Riambava et de l’Antsifotra et montagnes environnantes, 2000 m, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., 27 Nov.- 8 Dec. 1924 ( MO!, P!) ; Peltier & Peltier 1586, Prov. Antananarivo, Talata-Volonondry, bords de ruisseau, 18°45’S, 47°41’E, fl., fr., 11 Dec. 1959 ( MO!, P!, TAN) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 9072, Prov. Antananarivo, Manankazo, 1500 m, 18°09’S, 47°14’E, fl., fr., Jul. 1915 ( P!) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 13352, Prov. Antananarivo, flanc est du Tsiafajavona, Ankaratra, 1700-2200 m, 19°21’S, 47°15’E, fl., fr., Dec. 1920 ( MO!, P!) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 13725, Prov. Fianarantsoa, Massif d’Andringitra, 2200 m, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., fr., Apr. 1921 ( MO!, P!) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 14397, Prov. Fianarantsoa, Massif d’Andringitra, 2000 m, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., fr., Feb. 1922 ( MO!, P!) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 14489, Prov. Fianarantsoa, Massif d’Andringitra, 2200 m, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., fr., Feb. 1922 ( MO!, P!) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 15107, Prov. Antananarivo, Marangaka, 1200 m, 14°21’S, 48°41’E, fl., fr., Sep. 1922 ( MO!, P!) ; Réserves Naturelles: RN 3537, Prov. Finarantsoa, Andringitra, RN 5, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., 16 Dec. 1951 ( MO!, P!, TAN) ; Réserves Naturelles: RN 4820, Prov. Fianarantsoa, Andringitra, RN 5, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., 19 Dec. 1952 ( MO!, P!, TAN) ; Réserves Naturelles: RN 4822, Prov. Finarantsoa, Andringitra, RN 5, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., fr., 19 Dec. 1952 ( P!, TAN) ; Réserves Naturelles: RN 8494, Prov. Fianarantsoa, Andringitra, RN 5, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., 28 Oct. 1956 ( P!, TAN) ; Service Forestier: SF 693 R 174 , Prov. Fianarantsoa, Andringitra, RN 5, 22°14’S, 46°56’E, fl., 11 Dec. 1954 ( P!) ; Waterlot 587, Prov. Antananarivo, Tananarive, 18°55’S, 47°32’E, fl., Oct. 1922 ( P!) .

Figures

FIG. 4. — Distributions of the non-endemic species of Cynoglossum mapped on the bioclimatic zones of Madagascar (after CORNET 1974; see SCHATZ 2000): C. cernuum Baker (H), C. lanceolatum Forssk. ().