Aspidostemon dolichocarpum (Kosterm.) Rohwer

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2006, A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae), Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 7-44 : 20-21

7. Aspidostemon dolichocarpum (Kosterm.) Rohwer ( Fig. 4C )

Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 109: 74 (1987) . — Cryptocarya dolichocarpa Kosterm. , Bulletin du Jardin botanique de l’État 27: 177 (1957). — Type: Madagascar, Réserve naturelle 1, Tamatave, [17°55’S, 49°13’E], 14.XI.1951, fr., Réserves Naturelles 3262 (holo-, P; iso- BO, P, TEF).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Madagascar. Réserve naturelle 1, Tamatave, [17°55’S, 49°13’E], fr. buds, Réserves Naturelles 3261 ( P, TEF) . — Idem , Réserves Naturelles 3262 ( P, TEF) . — Brickaville , [18°44’S, 48°38’E], fl., Service Forestier 12280 ( MO, P, TEF) .

DESCRIPTION

Tree of unknown size.Twigs terete, glabrous;terminal buds glabrous. Leaves opposite, 9.5-14 × 3-5 cm, coriaceous, elliptic to elliptic-oblong, glabrous, the base acute, apex acuminate, acumen to 1 cm long, margin flat, the upper surface shiny, reticulation immersed on the upper surface, raised on the lower surface; lateral veins 8-11, poorly visible; petioles 6- 8 mm long, flat above. Inflorescences to 5 cm long, moderately and minutely pubescent, the hairs erect, reddish; pedicels 1-2 mm long. Flowers 2 mm in diameter, globose, below the tepals gradually narrowed into the pedicel, tepals pubescent, about as wide as long, c. 1 mm long, stamens 6, petaloid, glabrous, the locelli introrse, large; staminodia III columnar, with a flattened apex, free, at the base with 2 large, globose glands and a few hairs. Staminodia IV not seen. Fruits 4 × 2 cm, ellipsoid to oblong, smooth or with some faint longitudinal ribs, the petals persisting on top of the fruit.

REMARKS

Aspidostemon dolichocarpum can be recognized by the combination of 6 stamens, and puberulous inflorescences and flowers. Its leaves are rather large and coriaceous, shiny on the upper surface and with raised reticulation on the lower surface. It can be confused with Aspidostemon grayi , but the latter species has pubescent terminal buds, and narrower, chartaceous leaves with the reticulation immersed on the lower leaf surface. The inflorescences of A. grayi are covered with a brown, ascending indument, whereas inflorescences of A. dolichocarpum have a sparser indument consisting of short, erect, reddish hairs. The few flowers of A. dolichocarpum are not fully mature; their locelli are not yet opened and the known flowers may well be smaller than fully mature flowers. Staminodia IV were not seen in the dissected flower. This may be due to their absence or due to the fact that in the immature flowers the staminodia were still covered by and pressed against the staminodia III. In the similar A. grayi staminodia IV are present and can be readily seen. Kostermans (1957) listed as type collection Service Forestier 3262, however, the holotype designated by him, with the original label, is Réserves Naturelles 3262. Label data suggest that this species occurs at low altitudes ( Fig. 5 ), but no exact altitudinal data are included on the labels.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: October; fruits: November.

VERNACULAR NAMES

Longotra, Longotra mena.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. caudatum Rohwer; B, A. conoideum Van der Werff; C, A. dolichocarpum (Kosterm.) Rohwer; D, A. fungiforme Van der Werff. A, Perrier de la Bathie 14919, MO; B, Rakotomalaza 1203, MO; C, Réserves Naturelles 3261, MO; D, Schatz et al. 3804, MO.

FIG. 5. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar: ▲, A. caudatum Rohwer; ▲, A. conoideum Van der Werff; Ϙ, A. dolichocarpum (Kosterm.) Rohwer;Ϙ, A. fungiforme Van der Werff.