Abrahamia nitida (Engl.) Randrian. & Lowry

Randrianasolo, Armand, Lowry II, Porter P. & Schatz, George E., 2017, Taxonomic treatment of Abrahamia Randrian. & Lowry, a new genus of Anacardiaceae from Madagascar, Boissiera 71, pp. 1-152 : 105-106

23. Abrahamia nitida (Engl.) Randrian. & Lowry , comb. nova.

≡ Protorhus nitida Engl. in Bot. Jarhb. Syst. 1: 421. 1881.

Typus: MADAGASCAR: sine loco, s.d., fl., Thouars s.n. (holo-: P [ P00722662 ]!; iso-: P [ P00722664 ]!) .

Description

Trees 4-25 m m tall, 10-22 cm DBH, bark with red or white milky latex; young twigs glabrous or glabrescent, with lenticels, waxy. Leaves usually whorled, sometimes opposite; blades oblanceolate, 3.5-10.5 3 1.5-3.8 cm, coriaceous, apex emarginate or retuse, margin revolute, base cuneate, glabrous on both surfaces, venation craspedodromous, midvein prominent abaxially, secondary veins 20-30 pairs, parallel, 3 mm apart, prominent abaxially, tertiary veins very slightly raised on abaxial surface; petiole 5-15 mm long, canaliculate on adaxial surface, glabrous. Inflorescence axillary or terminal, a panicle, 2-4 cm long, axes flattened, glabrous or glabrescent. Male and female flowers 5-merous; pedicel 0.5 mm long, pubescent; calyx lobes deltoid to triangular, 0.5-0.7 3 1-1.2 mm, valavate, glabrous, persistent on fruit; corolla lobes ovate, 2-2.2 3 1-1.5 mm, imbricate, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface with short reddish indument; stamens 5. Male flowers with filaments c. 1 mm long, glabrous, anthers 0.5 mm long, ovoid to subglobose, glabrous; disk c. 1 mm in diam., glabrous; ovary rudimentary. Female flowers with filaments c. 1 mm long, anthers 0.5 3 0.5 mm, obloid to ovoid, sterile, glabrous; disk c. 1 mm in diam., cupuliform, glabrous; ovary c. 0.5-0.6 3 1 mm, broadly ovoid, glabrous, placenation subapical, style very short, c. 0.2-0.3 mm long, apical, stigmas capitate. Fruits 2-2.5 3 1-1.5 cm, ellipsoid, glabrous, surface smooth.

Vernacular names

“ Ditimenafotsy’’, “Hazombarorana’’, “Tahaka’’, “Tsiramiramy’’.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Abrahamia nitida occurs in humid forest in coastal eastern Madagascar ( Map 6 ). It has been recorded in flower in December and in fruit in late January.

Conservation status

With an EOO of 45,042 km 2, a minimum AOO of 76 km 2, and 14 known locations, with subpopulations in 4 protected areas (Agnalazaha, Makira, Nosy Mangabe, and Pointe à Lareée) and the remainder subjected to pressure from forest exploitation and land clearing, A. nitida is assigned a preliminary conservation status of “Near Threatened” [NT] using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN, 2012).

Notes

The leaves of A. nitida are usually whorled, a feature found in only a few other members of the genus, the most similar being A. sericea , from which A. nitida can be distinguished by its leaves with widely (vs very closely) spaced secondary veins, glabrous (vs pubescent) disk, and glabrous (vs velutinous) fruit.

We have followed René Capuron (note in herb.) in considering the second collection made by Thouars listed above as an isotype despite the fact that we cannot be certain it represents part of a single gathering.

Additional material examined

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Antalaha , PN Masoala , 15°35’S 50°25’E, 22.IX.1994, ster., Rahajasoa et al. 510 ( MO, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 22.IX.1994, ster., Rahajasoa et al. 523 ( MO, P, TAN) . Prov. Fianarantsoa: Farafangana, Mahabo , forêt de Marovahatry, 23°10’41’’ 47°43’49’’E, 23 m, 21.IV.2004, y. fr., Ludovic 738 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Mahabo Mananivo, Nosiala , bloc de Betaindambo, 23°08’42’’S 47°42’18’’E, 31 m, 22.IV.2004, fr., Ludovic 766 ( MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 23°11’S 47°41’E, 21 m, 29.X.2004, fl., Ludovic et al. 927 ( G, K, MO, P, TAN) ; Mahabo Mananivo, Baboaka , [23°10’S 47°44’E], 21 m, 20.XI.2004, fl., Ludovic et al. 998 ( G, K, MO, P, TAN) ; near village of Mahabo , 23°10’51’’S 47°42’29’’E, 30 m, 5.XI.2001, fl., McPherson et al. 18334 ( MO, TAN, TEF) ; ibid. loco, McPherson et al. 18347 ( MO, P, TAN, TEF) ; ibid. loco, 23°10’42’’S 47°42’24’’E, 20 m, 7.XI.2001, fl., McPherson et al. 18373 ( MO, P, TAN, TEF) ; ibid. loco, 23°08’53’’S 47°43’04’’E, 22.IX.2002, fr., Rabevohitra 4077 ( MO, NY, P, TAN, TEF) ; ibid. loco, 10 m, 19.VI.2004, ster., A. Randrianasolo et al. 867 ( MO) ; ibid. loco, 23°12’05’’S 47°42’48’’E, 24 m, 26.VIII.2003, fr., Razakamalala et al. 744 ( G, MO, P, TEF) ; Mananjary, forêt d’Alimamba, 21°28’04’’S 48°17’43’’E, 13.X.2004, fl., Razakamalala et al. 1655 ( MO, NY, P, TAN, TEF) ; Amporoforo , [22°29’00’’S 47°47’30’’E], 26.VII.1955, ster., Service Forestier 13912 ( MO, P, TEF) ; Ambalavotaka , [21°19’30’’S 48°21’30’’E], 7.I.1955, fr., Service Forestier 15459 ( P, TEF) . Prov. Toamasina: Maroantsetra, commune d’Ambinanitelo , Ankirindro , 15°28’29’’S 49°33’10’’E, 200 m, 21.XI.2002, fl., Antilahimena et al. 1430 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Fénérive-Est, Mahatsara forest station, [17°38’S 49°29’E], 23.I.1986, fr., Dorr 4617 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Soanieran’Ivongo, forêt d’Antanambao-Ambodimanga, 16°46’24’’S 49°42’51’’E, 30.I.2003, fr., Rabevohitra et al. 4305 ( G, K, MO, P, TEF) ; Mahanoro, Ambodibonara, forêt Nakinà, 20°21’34’’S 48°36’21’’E, 13.XI.2003, fl., Rabevohitra et al. 4753 ( G, K, MO, NY, P, TAN, TEF) ; Soanieran’Ivongo, NW Tanambao , 16°45’12’’S 49°42’56’’E, 31.I.2004, fr., Rabevohitra et al. 4980 ( MO, NY, P, TEF) ; Brickaville, Andranokoditra, Vohibola , 18°33’23’’S 49°14’58’’E, 5 m, 10.XII.2001, fr., Rabenantoandro et al. 871 ( MO, P, TAN, TEF) ; Tampolo forest station, 0-5 m, 31.VII.1996, ster., A. Randrianasolo 457 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Ambila Lemaitso , 18°49’S 49°08’E, 0-3 m, 28.X.1996, fr., A. Randrianasolo 512 ( G, K, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 18°51’38’’S 49°08’34’’E, 0-5 m, 9.X.1999, ster., A. Randrianasolo et al. 586 ( G, MO, P, TAN) ; Maroantsetra, Nosy Mangabe , 15°30’S 49°46’E, 0-330 m, 13-23.IV.1988, ster., Schatz 2131 ( MO, TAN) ; Mahanoro , [19°44’00’’S 48°48’30’’E], 29.I.1951, fr., Service Forestier 2998 ( P, TAN, TEF) ; Ambila Lemaitso , [18°49’S 49°08’E], 11.XII.1952, fl., Service Forestier 6448 ( P [2 sheets], TEF) ; ibid. loco, 12.XII.1952, fl., Service Forestier 6486 ( P, TEF) ; ibid. loco, 24.I.1953, fr., Service Forestier 7253 ( MO, P, TEF) . Prov. Toliara: Fort-Dauphin, Mahatalaky St Luce S 7, 2 km S d’Ambadrika, 24°47’47’’S 47°08’37’’E, 20 m, 25.XI.2011, fl., Ratovoson 1793 ( MO, P, TAN).

Figures

Map 6. Geographic distribution of species of Abrahamia Randrian.& Lowry