Buxus moratii G.E. Schatz & Lowry, 2002

Schatz, George E. & Lowry Ii, Porter P., 2002, A synoptic revision of the genus Buxus L. (Buxaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 24 (2), pp. 179-196 : 194

9. Buxus moratii G.E. Schatz & Lowry , sp. nov.

Buxus madagascarica subsp. tropophila H. Perrier, Fl. Madagascar 113: 4 (1952), nomen inval., non rite publ. sine Latin; syn. nov.

Haec species lamina foliari ad vel infra medium latiore ad congeneros madagascarienses nonnullos accedit, sed ab eis foliis lanceolatis usque anguste lanceolatis apice longe acuminatis usque cuspidatis marginibus planis distinguitur.

TYPUS. — Noyes, Harder, Rakotobe, Razafindrabeaza & Abraham 1005, Madagascar, Prov. Toliara, Kirindy forest concession of CEPF, 55 km NE of Morondava , 5-5.5 km E of route 8, 20°04’S, 44°40’E, 35 m, 14-16 Mar. 1992, fr. (holo-, MO!; iso-, K!, P!, TAN!).

Shrub 2-6 m tall, completely glabrous. Stems 0.6-1 mm in diam, internodes 0.6-1.7 cm. Leaves chartaceous to subcoriaceous, matte to somewhat glossy, 2.6-8 × 0.6-2.1 cm, narrowly lanceolate to ovate, apex acuminate to cuspidate, the acumen 1-3.5 cm long, base cuneate to attenuate and decurrent along stem, secondary venation obscure or faintly visible above and below, brochidodromous, with 8-10 lateral veins per side; leaves sub- sessile. Inflorescences axillary, either with 3- 4 male flowers, or 2 lateral male flowers and a central terminal female flower, or with a solitary female flower; male flowers subtended by 8-16 minute, decussate bracts, sepals 0.5 × 1.1 mm, anthers 1.8 × 0.4 mm, fused at their base; female flowers subtended by 8-16 minute, decussate bracts, sepals 1 × 1 mm, accrescent, scarious in fruit, expanding to 1.6 × 1.8 mm, styles 3 mm long, strongly recurved. Fruits 5-7 × 4-5 mm, ellipsoid, stylar remnants 2-3 mm long; seeds 3.2-4.8 × 1.2- 2 mm, black, shiny. — Fig. 9 .

Buxus moratii is a small to large shrub that occurs in western dry deciduous forest from northeast of Toliara to the plateau d’Ankara, as well as a disjunct sub-population on Mt. Combani on Mayotte in the Comoro archipelago (Fig. 3), possibly in moister forest. It can be easily recognized by its lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate leaves with a long acuminate to cuspidate apex.

ETYMOLOGY. — The species epithet honors Prof. Philippe MORAT of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, who conducted his thesis research in the area where Buxus moratii occurs, and who has encouraged our study of the Malagasy flora.

VERNACULAR NAME. — Tsivoaninombezo.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — With an Area of Occupancy of 900 km 2 within an Extent of Occurrence of c. 36,000 km 2 and only 5 subpopulations (including the disjunct sub-population on Mayotte), Buxus moratii is assigned a preliminary status of Vulnerable (VU B2ab).

PARATYPES. — MADAGASCAR, Prov. Mahajanga: Perrier de la Bâthie 2261, Kamakama sur le plateau d’Ankara, [16°55’S, 46°29’E], Oct. 1901, fr. ( P) . Prov. Toliara: Abraham 2, forêt de Marosalava, 50 km N of Morondava , [20°02’S, 44°33’E], 0 m, 30 Mar. 1974, fl. ( MO, P) ; Bernardi 11400, per viam Tulear-Ihosy ad km 44, [23°15’S, 43°59’E], 250-300 m, 12 Nov. 1967, fl. ( G, K, P) ; Chauvet 258, PK 47 route Tulear- Tananarive, [23°14’S, 44°01’E], 10 Feb. 1962, fr. ( K, MO, P, TEF) ; Chauvet s.n., PK 40 route Tuléar- Tananarive, [23°10’S, 44°03’E], fr. ( TEF) ; Gillespie 4112, Swiss Forestry Camp, c. 45 km NE of Morondava , 20°03’S, 44°37’E, 30 m, 7-8 Nov. 1990, fl. ( K, MO) ; Jacquemin 781bis, forêt à l’extrémité Sud- Ouest du lac Masama S / P. d’Antsalova, [18°51’S, 44°27’E], 0 m, 15 Nov. 1973, fl. ( P) ; Morat 3719, Nord de Morondava , [20°17’S, 44°17’E], Nov. 1970, fl. ( MO, P, TAN) ; Petter 20, forêt de Marosalava, 50 km N of Morondava , [20°02’S, 44°33’E], 0 m, 15 Nov. 1973, fl. ( P) ; Rahanyamalala 26, Morondava , [20°17’S, 44°17’E], 1990, fr. ( P) ; Rakotozafy 1063, forêt de Marofandilia, Morondava , [20°08’S, 44°33’E], 29 July 1970, st. ( TAN) ; Rauh 10447, Sakaraha [STF], [22°56’S, 44°33’E], 31 July 1963, fl. ( TAN) ; Service Forestier (Capuron) 20770, Ouest (confins du Sud-Ouest): forêt tropopylle basse dégradée entre Befoly et Analamitsivilana (à l’est du PK 38 de la route Tulear-Sakaraha), [23°18’S, 43°56’E], Jan. 1962, fl. ( MO, P, TEF) ; Service Forestier (Capuron) 28923, Ouest: forêt d’Andranomena-Marofandilia ( Morondava ), [20°09’S, 44°30’E], 28-29 Nov. 1969, fl. ( K, MO, P, TEF) . — MAYOTTE: Humblot 1403, forêt de Combani, [12°48’S, 45°09’E], 14 Nov. 1884, st. ( MO, P) .

Figures

Fig. 9. — Buxus moratii: A, fruiting branch; B, leaf, adaxial surface; C, leaf, abaxial surface. (Noyes et al. 1005).