Lepisanthes Blume

Buerki, Sven, Callmander, Martin W., Lowry Ii, Porter P. & Phillipson, Peter B., 2009, A synoptic revision of the genus Lepisanthes Blume (Sapindaceae) in Madagascar, Adansonia (3) 31 (2), pp. 301-309 : 303-304

Genus Lepisanthes Blume

Bijdragen tot de Flora van Nederlandsch Indie 5: 237

(1825). — Type: L. montana Blume.

Manongarivea Choux, Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des Séances de l’Académie des Sciences (Paris) 182: 713. (1926); Mémoires de l’Académie malgache 4: 36 (1927). — Type: Madagascar, Prov. Mahajunga, Manongarivo (Ambongo), [16°16’S, 45°22’E], X.1909, fl., y.fr., Perrier de la Bâthie 1812 (lecto- [here designated], P 00624104 !; isolecto-, K 000426188 !, P 00624103 !, TAN!).

REMARKS

Careful examination of the available material shows that the Malagasy collections of Lepisanthes differ from the African material (which corresponds to L. senegalensis s.s.) by generally having a glabrous 2-branched inflorescence (vs. a pubescent muchbranched inflorescence in specimens from Africa). The only exception is the material assigned below to L. chrysotricha , which likewise has a pubescent inflorescence, but differs from the African representatives by its golden indument that is also present on the outer part surface the sepals and petals (vs. brown indument on the inflorescence and glabrous sepals and petals in Africa).

We recognize three well-delimited species of Lepisanthes in Madagascar, one of which is new, whereas the two others correspond to the infraspecific taxa recognized by Capuron (1969), which we raise to the rank of species. Schatz (2001) provide a comprehensive diagnosis of the genus based on material from Madagascar.

A collection clearly assignable to Lepisanthes from the Masoala Peninsula in northeastern Madagascar (Labat et al. 3356, MO, P) does not match any of the species recognized here. It has a long inflorescence (up to 32 cm) and leaves with three pairs of leaflets that are discolorous and subcoriaceous. Moreover, this is the only Malagasy specimen of the genus known from humid evergreen forest on the east coast (all others were collected in dry to sub-humid forest on the north and western Madagascar). While this collection appears to represent a new species, adequate material is not yet available to describe it.

The monotypic genus Manongarivea was described by Choux (1926, with a supplementary description appearing in 1927) on the basis of two syntypes (Perrier de la Bâthie 1744 and 1812). In the present treatment, however, these collections are regarded as belonging to two different species, L. chrysotricha and L. perrieri , respectively. By designating Perrier de la Bâthie 1744 as the type of his new taxon Aphania senegalensis subsp. chrysotricha, Capuron (1969) implicitly limited the taxon described by Choux to Perrier de la Bâthie 1812, and thereby lectotypified the name, although he did not explicitly indicate his intention to do so. Here we formalize this decision and refine it by designating one of the two sheets of Perrier de la Bâthie 1812 in the Paris herbarium as the lectotype.

KEY TO THE MALAGASY SPECIES OF LEPISANTHES BLUME

1. Inflorescence and outer surface of the sepals and petals golden pubescent; western Madagascar (Bemaraha and Causse de Kelifely, W of the Mahavavy River) ... 1. L. chrysotricha

— Inflorescence and outer surface of the sepals and petals glabrous; northern and northwestern Madagascar.......................................................................................................... 2

2. Leaflets 1 or 2 (or rarely 3) pairs, 7-10(-15) cm long; petiole and rachis slender (1-1.5 mm diameter in dried material), combined length 0.5-2.5(-11) cm; northern Madagascar (S of Majunga to Montagne d’Ambre, Ankarana AP and Daraina region); on limestone and basement rock ........................................................................................... 2. L. perrieri

— Leaflets (2 or) 3 (or 4) pairs, 12-15(-25) cm long; petiole and rachis stout (c. 2 mm diameter in dried material), combined length 7-15(-22) cm; northwestern Madagascar (Kalabenono and Manongarivo massifs); on sandstone .................... 3. L. sambiranensis