Talinella albidiflora Appleq., 2005

Applequist, Wendy L., 2005, A revision of the Malagasy endemic Talinella (Portulacaceae), Adansonia (3) 27 (1), pp. 47-80 : 52-54

1. Talinella albidiflora Appleq. , sp. nov.

Haec species Talinellae grevei Danguy affinis, sed ab ea inflorescentiis lateralibus saepe 10-12 cm longis ramunculis elongatis pallidis glabris sursum curvatis por-

tatis, petalis albidis atque stigmatibus usque ad 4 mm longis apicibus teretibus saepe uncatis differt.

TYPUS. — Humbert 12753, Prov. Toliara, vallée de la Manambolo (bassin du Mandrare) au NW de Maroaomby (Betsioky), forêt sèche et bush xérophile,

300-400 m, 24°21’S, 046°34’E, fl., Dec. 1933 (holo-, P!; iso-, P!, MO!, K!, G!, WAG!) .

Shrub with sarmentose branches, to 4 m high, frequently described as lianoid. Twigs more or less straight, with or without lenticels; bark reddish brown to dull brown; small twigs glabrous. Leaves mostly oblong to elliptical, 0.8-3 cm long, 3-10 mm broad, succulent, glabrous; apex usually rounded, sometimes slightly asymmetrical, often minutely apiculate. Inflorescences mostly lateral, often borne on long, curving shoots to 40 cm long, glabrous often with circumferential cracking; fertile portion usually open with well-developed dichasial branching, sometimes reduced; lowermost main branches of inflorescence frequently subtended by small leaves. Peduncle and rachis sturdy, white-papillate or glabrous. Pedicel 1. 0-5.5 mm long, sometimes papillate. Sepals 1.8-3.6(-4.2) mm long. Petals 2(-3), 3.0- 5.0(-6.1) mm long in hermaphroditic flowers, white to greenish, yellowish or pinkish white. Stamens 20+, 1.6-2.5(-3.8) mm long, only the basal portion of inner filaments slightly ciliate; anthers 0.4-0.6(-0.8) mm long. Stigma branches (2-)3, 1.6-4.0 mm long, the apices usually terete and often hooked, glabrous to papillate; style 0.7- 1.1 mm long. Fruit a berry; seeds 2. 0-2.5 mm long. — Fig. 1 .

This species is segregated from T. grevei , with which it shares habit, leaf morphology, and a 2- petaled corolla. It is distinguished primarily by its whitish to yellowish or pale pink corolla color. The stigmas are well developed and usually have terete, uniformly colored, often hooked apices, rather than being flattened with a darker streak or pale ragged edge as in T. grevei ; the larger lateral inflorescences are frequently borne on very long, slender, almost leafless shoots, and the perianth is quite variable in size but often larger than usual for T. grevei . Talinella albidiflora has a primary center of distribution east of 46°E longitude in the Mandrare River basin, frequently on granite at high elevations, a habitat never reported for T. grevei ; collections from this area should be regarded as best representing the species. A second set of collections from the region of Ampanihy, at the western extreme, are in closer

18°S

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43 44 45 46 47 48°E proximity to the range of T. grevei and are intermediate in appearance, more frequently having short inflorescences and, at least in some flowers, the flattened stigma typical of T. grevei .

DISTRIBUTION. — Talinella albidiflora is known from southern Madagascar ( Fig. 2 ), from low altitudes to over 1000 m in elevation, sometimes on granite. In the southwest, its habitat is probably on sand and does not extend to the western limestone.

VERNACULAR NAME. — Sarondra ( Humbert 12873).

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Provisional IUCN Red List Category: Least Concern (LC).

PARATYPES. — MADAGASCAR: Prov. Toliara: Bosser 14226, 20 km sud d’Ampanihy , fl., Mar. 1960 ( P, MO, TAN) ; Bosser 14390, same locality, bush dégradé, fr., Mar. 1960 ( P, TAN) ; Bosser 15722, Anadabolava, moyen Mandrare, rocailles, 24°13’S, 046°19’E, fl., Feb. 1962 ( P, MO) ; Humbert 12461, vallée moyenne du Mandrare près d’Anadabolava, forêt sèche, 200-250 m, 24°13’S, 046°19’E, fl., fl., fr., Dec. 1933 ( P, K, MO, G) ; Humbert 12873, vallée de la Manambolo, rive droite (bassin du Mandrare), aux environs d’Isomono (confluent de la Sakamalio), 400-900 m, 24°32’S, 046°38’E, fl., fr., Dec. 1933 ( P, K, MO) ; Humbert 13270, same locality, Mont Morahariva, 1000-1400 m, 24°32’S, 046°38’E, fr., Dec. 1933 ( P) ; Humbert 13402, vallée de la Sakamalio, affluent de la Manambolo (bassin du Mandrare), pentes rocailleuses gneissiques, 900- 1100 m, 24°32’S, 046°41’E, fl., Dec. 1933 ( P, MO) ; Keraudren 907, basse Menarandra, dans végétation xérophile près d’Ampotaka, 25°04’S, 044°40’E, fl., Mar. 1960 ( P) ; Keraudren 1475, route Bevoalava à Ampanihy, fl., fr., Feb. 1962 ( P) ; Phillipson 2700, Réserve d’Andohahela, near Hazofotsy, 24°50’S, 046°32’E, 100 m, fl., 21 Dec. 1987 ( P, MO, TAN) ; Phillipson & Rakotomalaza 5266, 11 km N of Tsiombe along road to Antanimora, 25°13’01”S, 045°30’38”E, 125 m, 24 Jan. 2001 ( MO) ; Service Forestier 415, Berenty (vallée du Mandrare), bush, 24 °59’S, 046°17’E, fl., fr., 12 Feb. 1949 ( P, TEF) .

Incertae sedis: Dorr et al. 3966, road from Antanimora to Ambovombe, P.K. 54 (54 km NW o f A m b ovo m b e), Di d i e re a c e a e f o re s t w i t h Alluaudiopsis , fl., 15 Mar. 1985 (P, MO, TAN) is tentatively placed herein. This outlying specimen, collected near Antanimora, has apparently pale flowers, flattened stigmas, and 3-5 petals, which would represent unusual morphology for either T. albidiflora or T. grevei subsp. grevei . Further investigation of this population would be desirable.

Figures

FIG. 1. — Talinella albidiflora Appleq.: A, habit; B, leaf (adaxial face); C, leaf (abaxial face); D, “hermaphroditic” flower; E, detail of gynoecium. A, D, E, Phillipson 2700; B, C, Humbert 13402.

FIG. 2. — Distribution of Talinella grevei subsp. calcicola (★), subsp. grevei ($), subsp. hirsuta (▲), subsp. sarmentosa (L), and segregate species Talinella albidiflora (●).