Uapaca bojeri Baillon

Mcpherson, Gordon, 2011, A review of Madagascan Uapaca (Euphorbiaceae s. l.), Adansonia (3) 33 (2), pp. 221-231 : 224-225

3. Uapaca bojeri Baillon

Adansonia 11: 176 (1874).

Uapaca clusiacea Baker , Journal of the Linnean Society , Botany 18:278 (1881). — Type: Madagascar, Ankaratra Mountains, s.d., fl. ♂, Kitching s.n., (lecto-, K [sheet K000406452 ], here designated).

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Crescit in montibus provinciae

madagascariensis Imamou, s.d., fr., Bojer s.n., (holo-, P

[sheet P00298670]).

REPRESENTATIVE MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Madagascar.

Prov. Antananarivo, Itasy , 18°59’S, 047°04’E , 1300-

1400 m, 9.I.1985, Dorr 3438 (MO, P). — Behenjy,

19°13’S, 047°33’E, 1400 m, 16. I.1950, Service forestier 665 ( K, MO, P) . — Ibity, 20°03’47”S, 047°00’02”E, 1650 m, 16.II.1997, Lowry 4810 ( MO, P, TAN) . — Prov. Fianarantsoa, Col des Tapia , 20°15’S, 047°09’E, 1400-1500 m, 26.X.1960, Leandri 3323 ( MO, P) . — Vozontanin’i Tapia, 20°15’00”S, 047°06’30”E, 1500 m, 3. XII.1954, Service forestier 11103 ( G, K, MO, P, WAG) . — Itremo, 20°32’30”S, 046°38’43”E, 1260 m, 24.III.1996, Rakotomalaza 674 ( MO, P, TAN) . — Prov. Toliara, Atsimo-Andrefana, 22°17’S, 044°31’E, 30.X.1940, Decary 16238 ( MO, P) . — Eod. loc., 23°15’S, 045°09’E, 400-1000 m, 19.X.1924, Humbert 2805 ( MO, P) .

DESCRIPTION

Trees (1-) 3-10 m tall; stilt roots absent; leaf-bearing twigs 2-4 mm in diameter, solid. Leaf blades obovate, elliptical, or sub-oblong, 3.5-9.5(-12) cm long, 1.3-3.6(-4.5) cm wide, base cuneate and tapering into narrow petiole wing; apex obtuse, secondary veins 6-8 on each side of the midrib, tertiary venation, when visible, non-scalariform; petiole 3-6(-11) mm long, slightly winged. Staminate peduncles 1.8-3.7 cm long; petaloid bracts c. 8 in number, 7-11 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, glabrous or the inner ones pubescent abaxially; heads of flowers 4.5-6 mm in diameter excluding the exserted anthers; staminodes present, sometimes bearing two much-reduced, barren pollen sacs, pistillode glabrous or very nearly so on distal surface. Pistillate peduncles 0.7-3.2 cm long; calyx in flower c. 3.5 mm in diameter, calyx in fruit 1.5-2 mm high, 4.5-5 mm in diameter, often somewhat lobed, pubescent abaxially but somewhat glabrescent; ovary sparsely pubescent (at least distally), somewhat glossy, mature fruit 17-25 mm long, rounded or pointed at apex; pubescent distally but glabrescent, reported as yellow, red, or brown near maturity.

DISTRIBUTION

Central Plateau at elevations of 800-1650 m.

REMARKS

Distinguished by its lack of stilt roots, short petioles, small pubescent pistillate calyx, and its occurrence in dry forests and savannas of the Central Plateau. Most similar to U. louvelii , but not usually as glossy-coated as that species, as well as differing in the features given in the key.