Abrahamia lecomtei (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 : 84-85

16. Abrahamia lecomtei (H. Perrier) Randrian. & Lowry , comb. nova ( Fig. 13 ).

≡ Protorhus lecomtei H. Perrier in Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 18: 262. 1944.

Lectotypus (designated here): MADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: Rég. Atsinanana, Vatomandry , bois littoraux en arrière des lagunes, fl., IX.1921, Perrier de la Bâthie 14301 ( P [ P00722658 ]!; isolecto-: MO- 6684135 !, P [ P00722659 ]!) .

Description

Trees 5-15 m tall, 5-20 cm DBH, bark with white latex; young twigs glabrous, waxy, with lenticels, white or pale brown, spongy, sometimes the very tip with sericeous red brown indument. Leaves alternate, closely spaced, more so toward the branch ends; blades, oblanceolate, rarely widely elliptic, 5.3-17.5 3 1.5-5 cm, subcoriaceous, apex shortly acuminate, acuminate or rarely rounded, margin entire, base acute or cuneate to obtuse, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface sericeous on midvein, sometimes sparsely so, venation semicraspedodromous, midvein prominent abaxially, secondary veins 20-30 pairs, more or less parallel, 2-8 mm apart, rather prominent abaxially, tertiary veins often obscure on adaxial surface, fairly visible on abaxial surface; petiole 5-8-(10) mm long, shallowly canaliculate on adaxial surface, red-brown pubescent when young, glabrescent. Inflorescence axillary, a panicle, 1-5 cm long, axes regular, red-brown pubescent; bracts triangular, 1-2 3 0.5-1 mm, abaxial surface red-brown pubescent outside. Male and female flowers 5-(or 6)-merous; pedicel c. 0.3-0.5 mm long, red-brown pubescent; calyx lobes ovate to deltate, 1-1.2 3 0.8-1.5 mm, imbricate (valvate in female flowers), adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrescent or with red brown indument; corolla lobes ovate or oblong, 2-3 3 1-1.5 mm, imbricate, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface glabrous or with sparse reddish indument, yellow green; stamens 5. Male flowers with filaments 0.5-0.7 mm long, glabrous, anthers 0.5-0.6 mm long, obloid to slightly ovoid, white, glabrous; disk cupuliform, c. 1 mm in diam., glabrous; ovary completely absent. Female flowers with filaments c. 0.8 mm long, glabrous, anthers c. 0.5 mm long, ovoid to obloid, sterile, yellow, glabrous and pubescent; disk c. 1-1.5 mm in diam., glabrous; ovary very widely ovoid, c. 1 3 1 mm, glabrous, placentation subapical (nearly apical); style simple, subapically to apically inserted, 1 mm long, glabrous, stigmas capitate. Fruits c. 1.7 3 1 cm, ellipsoid, symmetrical, glabrous, with weakly visible longitudinal striations.

Vernacular names

“Ditimena’’, “Hazombarorana’’, “Tavolo malamatra’’, “Tsiramiramy mena’’.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Abrahamia lecomtei occurs in eastern rainforest from coastal areas to elevations as high as 950 m ( Map 4 ). It has been recorded in flower between September and December, and fruits have been collected in December and January.

Conservation status

With an EOO of 7,413 km 2, a minimum AOO of 32 km 2 but an estimated AOO> 500 km 2, and 7 recorded localities, only some of which are in protected areas (Ambalabe, Betampona, and Zahamena), A. lecomtei is assigned a preliminary conservation status of “Vulnerable” [VU B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)] using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN, 2012).

Notes

Abrahamia lecomtei can be distinguished from all other members of the genus by the presence of spongy, pale or white bark on the twigs and small branches, its leaves with semicraspedodromous venation and a short petiole (5-8 mm long), and its male flowers with short filaments (not exceeding 0.8 mm) and a disk that lacks a rudimentary ovary.

Perrier de la Bâthie 5283 (P) was cited in the protologue of Protorhus lecomtei and thus represents a syntype, but it is clearly referable to Abrahamia thouvenotii .

Additional material examined

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: Zahamena PN, W d’Ampasimaventy, 17°44’42’’S 48°58’26’’E, 300-350 m, 9.VII.2003, fl., Andrianjafy 396 ( CNARP, MO, P); Ambatondrazaka, Sahalampy , Onibe , [17°45’S 48°51’E], 700 m, XI.1938, bud, Cours 1171 ( P [2 sheets]); RNI Betampona , 17°51’55’’S 49°12’15’’E, 275-650 m, 19-25.VIII.1990 , ster., Carlson 364 ( MO, P, TAN); Ambodimangavolo , 3 km W d’Ambatoharanana, 17°34’17’’S 48°53’49’’E, 950 m, 30.IV.2003, fl., Rakotondrajaona 266 ( CNARP, G, K, MO, P, TEF); Vatomandry, Ambalabe , forêt de Vohibe, 19°09’07’’S 48°34’33’’E, 704 m, 20.I.2012, fr., Rakotoarivelo 608 ( G, K, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 19°09’42’’S 48°34’41’’E, 667 m, 20.XI.2013, y. fr., A. Randrianasolo 1456 ( G, K, MO, P, TAN); Zahamena PN, Ihofika , 17°39’13’’S 48°57’50’’E, 550 m, 22.X.2002, fl., S. Randrianasolo 335 ( CNARP, MO, P); Ambalabe, forêt de Vohibe, 19°09’32’’S 48°34’39’’E, 617 m, 16.X.2008, fl., Razanatsima 629 ( G, K, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loco, 624 m, 1.XII.2008, y. fr. & fl., Razanatsima & Celestin 635 ( MO, P, TAN); Betampona RNI, [17°55’S 49°13’E], 22.XII.1950, fl., Réserves Naturelles 2656 ( MO, P [2 sheets]); Betampona RNI, Betavoana , [17°56’S 49°17’E], 12.XI.1957, fl., Réserves Naturelles 9156 ( P, TEF). Sine loco: 19.XII.1938, y. fr., Lam & Meeuse 6022 ( P) .

Figures

Map 4. Geographic distribution of Abrahamia Randrian. & Lowry

Fig. 13. Abrahamia lecomtei (H. Perrier) Randrian. & Lowry. Fruits, from side [Razanatsima & Celestin 635].