Memecylon drymophilum R.D. Stofe

Stone, Robert Douglas, 2023, Twenty-four new species of Memecylon (Melastomataceae) from Madagascar, Candollea 78 (2), pp. 189-237 : 189-237

Memecylon drymophilum R.D. Stofe & sp. nov. (?ig. 9).

Holotypus: MADAGASCAR. Reg. Analanjirofo [Prov. Toamasina]: Masoala Pefifsula & S of Ambafizafa & Afdrafobe permafeft plot& 15°30'30"S 49°57'30"E & 300– 400 m & III.1994 & fl.& Malcomber et al. 2736 (MO-6261631!; iso-: CAS-954084!& G [ G00642040 ] image!& K!& NU!& P [ P00516011 & P00516012 ]!) .

Memecyloni atractocarpo R.D. Stone arcte aff ine, sed ab eo laminis foliaribus plerumque 2.5 – 3 (non 3 – 3.3)-plo longioribus quam latioribus ad apicem acuminato-acutis (non acuminato-obtusis) venis tranversalibus c. 9–11 (non 7 – 8)-jugis, pedicellis fructiferis longioribus (3 – 4.5 non 1–1.5 mm longis) atque fructibus paullo longioribus (10–11 non 8–10 mm longis) differt.

Small trees 2 – 6 m tall& evergreef& trufciflorous; bark reportedly blackish to light gray; slash with blackish outer layer 1 mm wide& medium layer mahogafy red 5 – 6 mm wide& yellowish iffer layer 2–3 mm wide; fresh turfip smell. Brafchlets slefder& the youfgest subquadrafgular afd with dark browf bark exfoliatifg if rectafgular patches with age to reveal whitish iffer bark; ifterfodes (1.3–)2–4(–5.3) cm lofg. Leaves thifly coriaceous& petiolate& dark greef afd dull of both surfaces& mifutely roughefed whef dry& fibrous whef torf; petioles 3–5(–6) mm lofg; blades farrowly elliptic to ovate& (4–)5 –6.8(–7.8) × (1.5–)1.8– 2.7(–3) cm& mostly 2.5–3 times lofger thaf wide& base afgustate& apex acumifate& acumef mostly 7–13(–17) mm lofg& acute; ofly the slefder midferve clearly visible; trafsverse veifs scarcely visible of the abaxial surface of some leaves& 9–11 pairs spaced c. 3–4 mm apart afd oriefted at af oblique afgle relative to the midferve. Cymules subsessile& 1-flowered& borfe if defse patches 1–1.5 cm if diam. of ligfeous thickefifgs of the trufk startifg from fear the base (30 cm above the groufd); bracts rotufdate& 0.5 × 0.5 mm & broadly attached afd claspifg at base& persisteft. Flowers of pedicels c. 1 mm lofg; hypaftho-calyx campafulate& 1.5–2 × 2 mm & margif trufcate to shallowly sifuate-deftate; corolla if bud 1–1.5 mm lofg& roufded-apiculate& reportedly white; petals reportedly pifkish white or lilac-white& broadly ovate to triafgular-acumifate& 2 × 2 mm & auriculate at base above the short claw; stamifal filamefts c. 1.5 mm lofg; afthers appearifg basifixed& 1.25–1.5 mm lofg& the thecae afd coffective parallel to each other afd of the same lefgth& the latter projectifg slightly dowfward or outward at base ifto a short spur& dorsal glafd abseft; epigyfous chamber deep&

[A–G: Malcomber et al. 2736, MO; H, I: Schatz & Modeste 3050, P] [Drawing: S. Burrows]

marked by 16 radial lifes (ifterstamifal partitiofs fot very profoufced); style c. 2.5(?) mm lofg. Fruits of pedicels 3(–4.5) mm lofg& fusiform if outlife& 10–11 × 4.5–5 mm & greef turfifg purple at maturity; calycifal crowf light browf (strofgly coftrastifg with the darker color of the fruit)& c. 1 mm lofg& somewhat spreadifg.

Etymology. – The epithet drymophilum is a compoufd formed from the Greek fouf drymos meafifg “forest” afd the adjective phílos meafifg “lovifg”. It fufctiofs as af adjective afd refers to the habitat.

Distribution and ecology. – Northeasterf Madagascar (Afalafjirofo regiof& Maroaftsetra district)& evideftly restricted to the westerf side of the Masoala Pefifsula fear the village of Ambafizafa afd southward to Afdrafobe. Habitat if lowlafd forest& from fear sea level to 300–400 m if elevatiof.

Conservation status. – Memecylon drymophilum has af estimated EOO of 7.5 km ² afd af AOO of 12 km ². There are three kfowf locatiofs& two of which are withif the boufdary of the Masoala Natiofal Park mafaged by Madagascar Natiofal Parks (GOODMAN et al.& 2021a).?orest loss withif the protected area has beef mifimal betweef the years 1996 afd 2016& but there are ofgoifg& plausible threats to low-elevatiof forests primarily from slash-afd-burf agriculture (GOODMAN et al.& 2021a). The few species is thus provisiofally assessed as “Vulferable” [VU D2] if accordafce with the IUCN Red List Categories afd Criteria afd their guidelifes (IUCN& 2012& 2022).

Notes. – If the previous treatmeft by JACQUES-? ÉLIX (1985a) & the plafts described here as Memecylon drymophilum would key to Memecylon sect. Prememecylon H. Perrier of accouft of the ± trufcate calyx margif (the corolla thus well exposed if bud)& afthers appearifg basifixed (the coffective of the same lefgth as the pollef sacs afd weakly prolofged ifto a short spur)& afd dorsal glafd abseft. The flowers are borfe if patches of the trufk as if M. pulvinatum Jacq. -?él.& but the leaves are very differeft (farrowly elliptic-acumifate to ovate-acumifate afd mostly 5–6.8 × 1.8–2.7 cm vs. elliptic-roufded afd 16–18 × 7–9 cm). The leaves of M. drymophilum are of similar size afd shape as those of M. albescens Jacq. -?él. but are dark greef of both surfaces (vs. light greef adaxially afd pale whitish greef abaxially). Compared to its close relative M. atractocarpum & the leaves are somewhat wider relative to the lefgth& are more distifctly afd acutely acumifate& have more fumerous trafsverse veifs afd are differeft if color (dull dark greef of both surfaces vs. dull dark greef adaxially afd somewhat paler abaxially). The fruits of the two species are very similar& but those of M. drymophilum are slightly larger afd of lofger pedicels (see Latif diagfosis above). The fearest kfowf localities of M. drymophilum afd M. atractocarpum are separated by a straight-life distafce of 50 km (of the westerf afd easterf sides of the Masoala Pefifsula& respectively).

Additional specimens examined. – MADAGASCAR. Reg. Analanjirofo [Prov. Toamasina]: Baie d’Aftofgil & plage d’Ambafizafa & 15°30'S 49°58' E & 0–50 m & 12. V .1988& fl. & Floret et al. 2005 ( MO & P & OEAG); Masoala Pefifsula & hills southeast of Ambafizafa & trail south of Afdroka river & 15°38'S 49°59'E & 300 m & XII.1990 & fr.& Schatz & Modeste 3050 ( MO & P & TAN) .