Aspidostemon inconspicuum Rohwer

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2006, A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae), Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 7-44 : 26-28

12. Aspidostemon inconspicuum Rohwer ( Fig. 6D )

Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 109: 75 (1987) . — Type: Madagascar, Menagisy , Brickaville, [18°52’S, 49°04’E], 8.XII.1956, fl., Service Forestier 12355 (holo-, P; iso-, TEF).

DESCRIPTION

Tree of unknown size.Twigs terete, glabrous; terminal buds glabrous. Leaves opposite, elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 6-11 × 1.5-3 cm, glabrous, firmly chartaceous, the base acute to attenuate, apex bluntly acute, margin flat, the upper surface shiny,reticulation immersed on the upper surface, weakly raised on the lower surface; lateral veins hard to discern; petioles 6-10 mm long, canaliculate. Inflorescences to 4 cm long, glabrous; pedicels c. 2 mm long.Flower buds slightly depressed globose, c. 1.5 mm in diam., glabrous, tepals about as long as wide, stamens 6, thick, glabrous, locelli subapical, staminodia III with a peltate tip, free, with two glands at the base; staminodia IV small, subulate. Pistil glabrous. Fruits unknown.

REMARKS

This species is only known from the type collection ( Fig. 8 ) and is best recognized by the small flowers with 6 stamens and the rather long, flexible inflorescences. The type has few flowers or flower buds left and the description given above is largely taken from Rohwer’s description and illustration (Rohwer

A

& Richter 1987). The description is brief and reflects the poor quality of the type specimen.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: December.

VERNACULAR NAME

Longotra.

Figures

FIG. 6. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. glandulosum Rohwer; B, A. grayi Van der Werff; C, A. humbertianum (Kosterm.) Rohwer; D, A. inconspicuum Rohwer. A, Service Forestier 16534, MO; B, Van der Werff et al. 12747, MO; C, Turk & Randrianasolo 583, MO; D, Service Forestier 12355, P.

FIG. 8. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar:■, A.glandulosum Rohwer;▲, A. grayi Van der Werff;Ϙ, A. humbertianum (Kosterm.) Rohwer; Ϙ, A. inconspicuum Rohwer.