Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl

Rogers, Zachary S., Malécot, Valéry & Sikes, Kendra G., 2006, A synoptic revision of Olax L. (Olacaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 71-100 : 98

Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl

Enumeratio Plantarum 2: 33 (1805) . — Fissilia psittacorum Lam., Tableau encyclopédique et méthodique 1: 102, pl. 28 (1791). — Type: La Réunion, Commerson s. n. (holo-, P-LA!; iso-, MPU[3]!; P-00148744!, P-JU 11897!).

REMARKS

Cavaco & Keraudren (1955a) incorrectly reported the presence of Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl in Madagascar based on a single Boivin collection (cited in their treatment as “ Madagascar, sans indication: Boivin 2617, type ”). Scott (1997) noted that the name was actually based on Commerson material from La Réunion deposited at P (duplicates listed above). Capuron (1968: 59) excluded O. psittacorum from Madagascar because of a sheet of Boivin 2617 at P bearing the inscription, “Île Bourbon, hauts de la Rivière des Galets, Juin 1851 ”. He provided further justification to reject the name for Madagascar because the number of anthers and staminodes cited for O. psittacorum in the Flore (6 stamens and 3 staminodes) does not correspond with those found in true O. psittacorum (3 stamens and 5 staminodes).

We have examined yet another P sheet (P- 00148744) of Olax bearing the inscription Boivin 2617 on a typewritten Madagascar label. The specimen on this particular sheet is fruiting and, without doubt, represents O. dissitiflora . However, this sheet cannot be the same material used by Cavaco & Keraudren to describe the species in the Flore because the dimensions of the leaves and fruits conflict with those mentioned in their description. Confusion surrounding the record of O. psittacorum from Madagascar must be due to inconsistent labelling among duplicates bearing Boivin 2617 labels.