Diospyros betamponensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry,, 2020

Schatz, George E. & Lowry II, Porter P., 2020, Taxonomic studies of Diospyros L. (Ebenaceae) from the Malagasy region. IV. Synoptic revision of the Squamosa group in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 42 (9), pp. 201-218 : 206

Diospyros betamponensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov.

( Figs 3 ; 4 )

Diospyros betamponensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry , sp. nov. is distinguished from other species in the Squamosa group by its slender young stems moderately to densely covered with long (2.5-3 mm), erect, golden trichomes as well minute erect white trichomes.

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Atsinanana Region [Prov. Toamasina], forêt orientale, Réserve naturelle no. 1 ( Betampona , près d’Ambodiriana, District Tamatave), c. 450 m, 7.XI.1953, fr., Service Forestier (Capuron) 8593 (holo-, P [ P04569888 ]! ; iso-, K!, MO [ MO6075826 ]!, P [ P04569889 ]!, TEF) .

PARATYPES. — Madagascar. Atsinanana Region [Prov. Toamasina]: Betampona RNI, 17°55’36”S, 49°12’29”E, 245 m, 18. I.2014, ster., Bernard & Razakamalala 2237 ( MO, P [ P00722708 ]) ; Fokontany Fontsimavo, forêt d’Analamaimbo , 17°55’59”S, 49°13’19”E, 76 m, 9.II.2016, bud, y. fr., Rasoanindriana et al. 11 ( K, MO, P, TAN) ; Betampona RNI, 28.IX.1993, bud, Lewis & Razafimandimbison 669 ( MO, P [ P04569897 ]) ; Betampona Strict Nature Reserve , 17°55’33”S, 49°12’02”E, 400 m, 11. I.2017, fr., Lowry et al. 7483 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Trail from Fontsimaro to Rendrirendry , S of Betampona Strict Nature Reserve, 17°55’57”S, 49°03’13”E, 65 m, 14.I.2017, ♀ fl., Lowry et al. 7510 ( G, MO, P, TAN) ; Fokontany d’Analamangahazo, forêt d’Agnalavôla , 17°52’42”S, 49°15’04”E, 295 m, 13.III.2017, fr., Ralaijaona et al. 94 ( K, MO, P, TAN) ; Betampona RNI, 9.XII.1950, fr., Réserves Naturelles 2222 ( P [ P04569891 , P04569892 ], TAN) ; same locality, 8.X.1954, fl., Réserves Naturelles 6664 ( P [ P04569894 ], TEF) ; same locality, 9.XI.1957, fl., Réserves Naturelles 9152 ( P [ P04569893 ], TEF) ; same locality, 6.XII.1957, fl., Réserves Naturelles 9369 ( P) ; same locality, 6.XII.1957, fr., Réserves Naturelles 9569 ( P [ P04569895 ]) ; Sahafina forest W of Brickaville, 18°55’08.9”S, 49°12’03.9”E, 192 m, 9. I.2017, ster., Schatz et al. 4434 ( MO, P, TAN) .

ETYMOLOGY. — The name chosen for this new species reflects the fact that it is primarily known from the Betampona protected area.

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Diospyros betamponensis , sp. nov. occurs in humid forest in the Atsinanana region, from the Sahafina forest W of Brickaville to the Betampona reserve and environs ( Fig. 2 ), at elevations from 76 to 450 m.

PHENOLOGY. — Diospyros betamponensis , sp. nov. has been recorded in bud in September, in flower in October and November, and in fruit from November to January.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Diospyros betamponensis , sp. nov. has a geographic range in the form of an EOO of 118 km 2 and a minimum AOO of 12 km 2. It is present in the protected areas of Betampona and Sahafina. Outside of these protected areas, it is threatened by forest clearing for agriculture and harvesting for firewood and construction material. With respect to the principal threat of forest clearing for agriculture, which will result in projected continuing decline in EOO, AOO, habitat quality, the number of locations, and the number of mature individuals, D. betamponensis , sp. nov. exists at four locations, and can therefore be assessed for its risk of extinction as Endangered [EN B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)] ( IUCN 2012).

DESCRIPTION

Medium tree to 12 m tall, to 7 cm DBH. Young stems slender, 1 mm in diam., brown, moderately to densely covered with long (2.5-3 mm), erect, golden trichomes as well as minute erect white trichomes. Lamina 2.9-8.6 × 0.9-2.4 cm, narrowly ovate to occasionally oblong, coriaceous, glabrous and matte above, glabrous and glossy below, base rounded to truncate, margin flat to micro-revolute, apex acute to acuminate, midvein impressed and channeled above, densely covered with minute, erect, white trichomes, prominently raised below, moderately to densely covered with long (2.5-3 mm), semi-erect golden trichomes, venation weakly brochidodromous, 9-13 secondary veins per side, obscure above, raised below; petiole 3-4 mm, <1 mm in diam., covered with both long (2.5-3 mm) erect, golden trichomes and minute, erect white trichomes. Male flowers not seen. Female flowers solitary in the axils of leaves; pedicels 2-3 mm (- 4 mm in fr.), 2-3 mm in diam. (- 5 mm in fr.), glabrous except for a ring of dense short golden trichomes at the apex, bearing 6-9 distichous, overlapping, cucullate scale-like bracts, 1-6 × 2-8 mm, broadly ovate, becoming progressively larger from the base to apex of the pedicel, mostly glabrous outside, occasionally with dense, minute, erect whitish trichomes toward the apex, glabrous inside, the margin densely golden ciliate, especially at the apex, often keeled, apex acute to shallowly to deeply emarginate on apical-most bract; sepals fused into an urceolate calyx, 7-8 mm tall, 5-6 mm in diam., with 4 or 5 lobes, 2-3 × 2 mm, apex triangular, densely covered with long golden semi-appressed trichomes and shorter curly, matted trichomes; petals glabrous. Fruit to 25 mm tall, 25 mm in diam., spherical to flattened-spherical or somewhat cubical, glabrous and sometimes glaucous, the stylar remnant 2 mm tall, surrounded by the accrescent calyx, densely covered with long (to 3 mm) semi-appressed, golden trichomes, the lobes 8-17 × 10-22 mm, broadly to narrowly triangular, the margins flat or reflexed or involute, densely covered with curly, matted, woolly, appressed golden trichomes; seeds spherical wedge shaped, 16-18 × 6 mm.

NOTES

Diospyros betamponensis , sp. nov. is easily recognized among members of the Squamosa group by its slender young stems moderately to densely covered with long (2.5-3 mm), erect, golden trichomes.

Figures

FIG. 3. — Diospyros betamponensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov.: A, fruiting branch; B, branch with flower buds; C, fruit; D, detail of leaf venation (abaxial surface).A, C, Réserves Naturelles 2222 (P04569891); B, D, Lewis & Razafimandimbison 669 (P04569897). Illustration by A. Jouy. Scale bars: A, B, 4 cm; C, D, 1 cm.

FIG. 4. — Photos of Diospyros betamponensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov.: A, branch showing indument on stem and leaves; B, branch with young leaves; C, female flower; D, young fruit with squamae at base; E, fruit. A, D, E, Lowry et al. 7483; B, C, Lowry et al.7510. Photos: A-E, P. Lowry.

FIG. 2. — Geographic distribution of Diospyros betamponensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov. (.), Diospyros callmanderi G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov. (Ɨ), Diospyros darainensis G.E. Schatz & Lowry,sp.nov. (-), Diospyros phillipsonii G.E.Schatz & Lowry,sp.nov.(·), and Diospyros sennenii G.E. Schatz & Lowry, sp. nov. (A), mapped on the bioclimatic regions of Madagascar (after Cornet 1974; see Schatz 2000).