Psychotria trichocalyx (Drake) Fosberg

Lorence, David H., Florence, Jacques & Meyer, Jean-Yves, 2017, Reassessment of the Psychotria speciosa G. Forst. (Rubiaceae) complex in Tahiti, Society Islands, with a new combination and description of new species, Psychotria paulae J. - Y. Meyer, Lorence & J. Florence, sp. nov., Adansonia 39 (1), pp. 41-53 : 46-48

Psychotria trichocalyx (Drake) Fosberg ex J.-Y. Meyer, Lorence & J. Florence, comb. nov.

( Fig. 1B, C )

Basionym: Uragoga trichocalyx Drake, Illustrationes florae insularum Maris Pacifici 16: 40 (1886). — Type: Tahiti, Lépine 184 (lecto-, P[P007010414, P00701042]!, 2 sheets, here designated). — Syntype: Tahiti, Mt. Marau, 1200 m, Nadeaud 343 p. p. (P[P00701043]!).

Calycosia trichocalyx (Drake) Drake, Illustrationes florae insularum Maris Pacifici: 196 (1886).

Psychotria speciosa var. D cymosa Nadeaud, Énumération des plantes indigènes de l’île de Tahiti: 51 (1873).

REMARK

Drake Del Castillo (1886) cited two syntype collections, Lépine 184 and Nadeaud 343 (a mixed collection), both at Paris. F. R. Fosberg proposed but never published this combination in his herbarium annotations of the syntypes. We hereby designate Lépine 184 (2 sheets) as lectotype. This species is distinguished from other Tahiti congeners by a shortly pedunculate, 3-4-flowered inflorescence covered by spreading reddish-brown hairs, externally pilose campanulate calyx with short triangular to oblong lobes, pilose hypanthium and fruit, and white corollas with lobes puberulent distally ( Fig. 1B, C ) .

DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES, PSYCHOTRIA PAULAE J. -Y.

MEYER, LORENCE & J. FLORENCE, SP. NOV.

Intensive botanical surveys on the island ofTahiti have produced numerous new collections and new locations for Psychotria , including a distinctive new species discovered by J.-Y. Meyer

at one locality on the western slopes of Tahiti. This new species does not match any of the recognized Pacific Island taxa but is most similar to P. speciosa . Tahiti currently has nine Psychotria species, including P. trichocalyx , comb. nov., and the new species P. paulae , sp. nov., described below.

Figures

FIG. 1. — Tahitian Psychotria L. species: A, D, P. aff. speciosa, with truncate shortly-toothed calyx; B, C, P. trichocalyx (Drake) Fosberg ex J.-Y. Meyer, Lorence & J. Florence, comb. nov.; B, inflorescence with bud and corolla at anthesis; C, young fruits and stipule (upper left); D, corolla in bud and expanded. A, D, Tahiti, Marau, J.-Y. Meyer photos; B, C, Tahiti, Atara, J.-Y. Meyer photos.