Abrahamia deflexa (H. Perrier) Randrian. & Lowry

Randrianasolo, Armand, Lowry II, Porter P. & Schatz, George E., 2017, Taxonomic treatment of Abrahamia Randrian. & Lowry, a new genus of Anacardiaceae from Madagascar, Boissiera 71, pp. 1-152 : 48-49

6. Abrahamia deflexa (H. Perrier) Randrian. & Lowry , comb. nova.

≡ Protorhus deflexa H. Perrier in Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. Paris 18: 264. 1944.

Lectotypus (designated here): MADAGASCAR. Prov. Mahajanga: Ambongo , XI.1903, fl., Perrier de la Bâthie 1627 ( P [ P00580302 ]!; isolecto-: MO- 6684133 !, P [ P00580303 ]!) . Syntypi: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Mahajanga: Ankatsepy, près Majujnga, s.d., fr., Perrier de la Bâthie 1627bis ( P [ P00580304 ]!). Prov. Toliara: Mt. Vohipolaka , N de Betroka , s.d., ster., Humbert 11694ter ( P, not seen); Mt. Apika , au-dessus de Mahamavo , bassin de réception de la Mananara, affluent du Mandrare, s.d., fr., Humbert 13850 ( P, not seen) .

Description

Trees 8-15 m tall, 15-20 cm DBH, bark with red latex, young twigs with lenticels, waxy, the very tips scabrous. Leaves alternate, subopposite or opposite; blades ovate, oblong, or elliptic, 2.5-6.5 3 1-3.5 cm, apex retuse, rounded or shortly acuminate, sometimes emarginate, margine entire, base cuneate, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface ferruginous to scabrous when young, later glabrous or glabrescent along the midvein, venation craspedodromous, midvein prominent abaxially, secondary veins 15-20 pairs, more or less parallel, 1-4 mm apart, prominent abaxially, slightly prominent adaxially, tertiary veins very widely spaced, slightly raised on both surfaces; petiole 5-10 mm long, canaliculate on adaxial surface, covered with very short, appressed indument when young, glabrescent. Inflorescence terminal, a thyrse, 2-5 cm long, ferruginous strigose. Male flowers 5-merous; pedicel c. 0.3-0.4 mm long, strigose; calyx lobes depressed ovate, 0.8-1 3 0.5-0.8 mm, imbricate, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous or pubescent, persistent on the fruit; corolla lobes ovate, c. 2 3 1.5 mm, white or cream, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous or with appressed short indument, imbricate; stamens 5, filaments 1 mm long, glabrous, anthers c. 0.5 mm long, ovoid to subglobose, yellow, glabrous; disk dish-shaped to cupuliform, c. 1 mm in diam., glabrous; ovary rudimentary. Female flowers unknown. Fruits 1.5-3 3 1-1.5 cm, ellipsoid to ovoid, glabrous, with longitudinal striations.

Vernacular names

“Hazombora’’, “Sohihy’’, “Sohy’’, “Tarata’’, “Motsalahy’’ (Sakalava).

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Abrahamia deflexa occurs in dry forests of western and northwestern Madagascar ( Map 1 ), usually on sandy or calcareous soils. It flowers between September and November, and has been collected in fruit in November and December.

Conservation status

With an EOO of 51,339 km 2, a minimum AOO of 40 km 2, and an estimated maximum AOO of less than 2,000 km 2, as well as 10 known locations, only 2 of which are situated within protected areas (Ankarafantsika and Bemaraha) with the remainder projected to be subjected to continuing decline in habitat quality due to a combination of fire and land clearing, A. deflexa is assigned a preliminary conservation status of “Vulnerable’’ [VU B2 ab(iii)] using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN, 2012).

Notes

Abrahamia deflexa can easily be distinguished from all its congeners by the combination the small, glabrous leaves with a long, thin petiole and glabrous fruits.

Of the five collections cited in the protologue, we have selected Perrier de la Bâthie 1627 as the lectotype because it is represented by three specimens, whereas one of the other syntypes (Perrier de la Bâthie 1627bis) comprises only a single sheet, another (Humbert 5063 = Humbert & Swingle 5063 = Service Forestier 50) is a collection of A. phillipsonii , and the remaining two (Humbert 11694ter and 13850) could not be located.

Additional material examined

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Mahajanga: Katsepy, station d’Antrema , [15°42’37’’S 46°10’30’’E], 10.XI.2008, fr., Hladick 7200 ( P) ; Bemaraha, S of the Manambolo River , 19°09’S 44°49’E, 50 m, 11.XII.1996, fr., Jongkind 3505 ( MO, P, TAN, WAG) ; Antsalova, Bemaraha , 18°38’S 44°42’E, 100-200 m, 5.XII.1992, fr., Labat et al. 2308 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Mitsinjo, Katsepy, forêt classée d’Antrema , 15°42’37’’S 46°10’25’’E, 15 m, 12.XI.2005, fr., Labat 3560 ( G, MO, P, TAN) ; 33 km Ankirika-Analalava , 14°49’S 47°41’E, 100 m, 16.XI.1996, fl., Leeuwenberg et al. 14728 ( MO, P, TAN, WAG) ; NW Madagascar, 1841, Pervillé 93 ( P [5 sheets]); Ambongo , 1841, Pervillé 590 ( P [3 sheets]); Katsepy , station d’Antrema , [15°42’S 46°10’E], 11.XI.2009, fl., Ramanamisata 157 ( P) ; Port-Berger, Tsingia, Marosely , 15°38’58’’S 47°35’03’’E, 217 m, 16.XI.2004, fl., Ramananjanahary et al. 49 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Marovoay , W of Ampijoroa reserve, garden A, [16°18’S 46°48’E], 11.XI.1996, ster., A. Randrianasolo 528 ( G, MO, P, TAN) ; forêt sèche de Marosely , 17°38’58’’S 47°35’03’’E, 217 m, 17.XI.2004, y. fr., Razakamalala et al. 1711 ( G, K, MO, P, TEF) ; Port-Bergé, forêt d’Ambohimanga , 6.XII.2004, 15°57’05’’S 47°26’09’’E, 232 m, fr., Razakamalala et al. 1831 ( G, K, MO, NY, P, TEF) ; forêt d’Ankarafantsika, aux env. d’Ampijoroa, [16°18’S 46°48’E], 19-21.XI.1957, fl., Service Forestier 18470 ( MO, P [2 sheets], TEF); Analalava, env. d’Antsangabe , [15°01’S 47°16’E], 4.XI.1958, fr., Service Forestier 18872 ( G, MO, P [2 sheets], TEF); Ambongo, près de Benetsy , [15°04’S 47°14’E], 21.XI.1965, Service Forestier 24266 ( P, TEF) ; Ampijoroa station forestière, fonkontany Ampombolava , [16°18’S 46°49’E], 15.XII.1991, fr., Service Forestier 34333 ( MO, TEF) ; ibid. loco, 200 m, 23.I.1992, fr., Service Forestier 34358 ( MO, TEF) .

Figures

Map 1. Geographic distribution of species of Abrahamia Randrian.& Lowry