Noronhia alleizettei Dubard

Hong-Wa, Cynthia, 2016, A taxonomic revision of the genus Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars (Oleaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Boissiera 70, pp. 1-292 : 37-39

1. Noronhia alleizettei Dubard in Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat. 13: 551. 1907 ( Fig. 2A ).

Typus: M ADAGASCAR. Prov. Mahajanga: Ouest, Morondava (Menabe), [20°17’S 44°17’E], s.d., Grevé 217 (holo-: P [ P00418079 ]!; iso-: K [ K000233201 , K000233202 , K000233203 ] images seen, P [ P00418078 , P04046978 , P04046979 , P04046981 , P04046982 , P04046983 ]!) .

= Noronhia ecoronulata H. Perrier in Mém. Inst. Sci. Madagascar, Sér. B, Biol. Vég. 2: 287. 1949 . Typus: M ADAGASCAR. Prov. Mahajanga: Ouest, Iopy entre Andranomavo et Sitampiky (Ambongo), IX.1903, Perrier de la Bâthie 1602 (holo-: P [ P00418115 ]!; iso-: P [ P00418116 ]!) .

Description

Tree to 15 m tall, trunk to 12 cm diameter; young twigs cylindrical, 0.7-1.3 mm diameter, glabrous; bark dark to medium gray, smooth to rugose. Leaves opposite, deciduous; bud scales persistent; blades medium green above, lighter below, narrowly elliptic, 4-8.5 3 0.8-2.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, domatia absent, base acute, margin flat to slightly revolute, apex retuse to sometimes acuminate, the acumen 0-7 mm long, midrib slightly sunken above, raised below, secondary veins barely visible, 7-12 per side, 4-13 mm apart, looping 0.7-3 mm from the margin; petiole medium gray, 3-8 3 0.6-1.4 mm, entirely woody, glabrous. Flowers fasciculate; pedicel 1.5-6 mm long, sparsely pubescent; calyx moderately pubescent outside, glabrous inside, lobes triangular, 1-2.2 3 0.3-1.2 mm; corolla white, urceolate, 2-5 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 1.5-4.5 mm long, lobes ovate, apex rounded; corona absent; stamens 1.4-2 mm long, anthers oblate to orbicular, 1.2-1.6 mm long; pistil 1.3-3.2 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruiting pedicel 3-12 3 0.6-1.5 mm; young fruits green, reddish black when mature, subglobose, 8.5-13.5 3 7-13.5 mm, surface smooth, sometimes covered with white dots, apex apiculate; dry pericarp 0.2-0.8 mm thick; endocarp woody; seed 5.5-8 3 4-6.5 mm.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Noronhia alleizettei occurs in low-elevation dry forests in the west, from Ankarafantsika to Morondava ( Fig. 3 ). It produces flowers and fruits all year except in September, with a peak between October and February.

Conservation status

There were 35 collections representing 25 localities available for analysis, which resulted in an Extent of Occurrence (EOO) of 61,385 km 2 and an Area of Occupancy (AOO) of 84 km 2 that is certainly much larger given the presence of uncollected areas of suitable habitat. Sixteen subpopulations representing 13 locations were estimated, of which six occur within the network of protected areas (Ankarafantsika, Beanka, Bemaraha, Corridor Bongolava, Menabe-Antanimena, and Namoroka). Therefore, N. alleizettei is assigned a preliminary status of “Least Concern”.

Notes

Noronhia alleizettei can be recognized by its narrow leaf blades, fasciculate, white flowers and small subglobose fruits. PERRIER DE LA BâTHIE (1949, 1952) distinguished N. ecoronulata H. Perrier from N. alleizettei by the absence of a corona. However, none of the examined flowers of N. alleizettei had a corona and the original description mentioned only a simple rim at the base of the corolla (DUBARD, 1907) that may actually correspond to the thickening of the base of the corolla when the corona is absent ( PERRIER DE LA BâTHIE 1949, 1952). The two species, as recognized by PERRIER DE LA BâTHIE (1949, 1952), are similar in all other aspects and are therefore synonymized, with N. alleizettei having priority. The specimen labeled as Alleizette 4 (P [P00418078]) should be regarded as an isotype of N. alleizettei rather than a syntype since it is a duplicate of Grevé 217 as noted by H. Perrier de la Bâthie: “part du précédent indiquée par erreur comme provenant de la forêt de la Mandraka (près de Tananarive), c’est à dire d’une forêt ombrophile du versant oriental, située à 1200-1400 m d’altitude, alors qu’elle provient en réalité du sous-bois, de forêt tropophylle, située sur le versant occidental, au voisinage de la mer, dans la partie sud du secteur «Menabe» du domaine occidental (18 Juillet 1948)”. The specimen Decary s.n. (P [P03558887]) includes four fragments, of which three are assigned to N. alleizettei and the fourth to N. tropohylla (H. Perrier) Hong-Wa & Besnard.

Additional specimens examined

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Mahajanga: Beanka, Sarodrano , 18°03’34”S 44°31’00”E, 394 m, 23. II.2012, Bolliger et al. 245 ( G, MO, TEF) ; Beanka, Andalaposa , 18°00’54”S 44°29’53”E, 237 m, 18.III.2012, Bolliger et al. 307 ( BR, G, K, MO, P, TEF) ; Domaine occidental, s.d., Decary s.n. ( P) ; Ampijoroa STF, c. 30 km N d’Andranofasika, 16°20’S 46°51’E, 200 m, 13.IV.1984, Dorr & Koenders 3026 ( K, MO, P, TAN) ; Beanka, Sarodrano , 18°03’01”S 44°31’09”E, 450 m, 5.III.2012, Hanitrarivo et al. 263 ( BR, G, K, MO, P, TEF) ; Ankarafantsika PN, 16°18’54”S 46°48’46”E, 154 m, 13.III.2009, Hong-Wa 622 ( MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loc., 16°17’45”S 46°49’20”E, 160 m, 14.III.2009, Hong-Wa 628 ( MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loc., 16°19’07”S 46°48’13”E, 198 m, 14.III.2009, Hong-Wa 631 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Tsingy de Bemaraha, S of the Manambolo river , 19°09’S 44°49’E, 50 m, 13.XII.1996, Jongkind et al. 3524 ( G, MO, P, TAN, WAG) ; Antsalova, Bevitiky, Kinanaoka , Tsingy de Bemaraha RN9, 18°38’44”S 44°42’24”E, 180 m, 6.III.1995, Labat 2667 ( G, K, MO, P, TAN) ; Ampijoroa STF, 16°19’S 46°49’E, 7.IV.1988, Leeuwenberg 13864 ( MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loc., 16°19’S 46°49’E, 150 m, 20. VI.1987, Phillipson 1911 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Beanka, Kinahango , 18°01’34”S 44°30’27”E, 306 m, 14.III.2012, Rakotozafy et al. 80 ( G, MO) ; Port Bergé, Bongolava , forêt de Marosely, 15°38’58”S 47°35’03”E, 217 m, 17.XI.2004, Razakamalala et al. 1716 ( MO, P, TEF) ; Ambondromamy , forêt de Befotaka, 16°22’39”S 47°10’28”E, 17.IV.2007, Razakamalala et al. 3388 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Maintirano, Ambinda , 18°04’S 44°30’E, 203 m, 19.X.2009, Razakamalala et al. 4426 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Tsaramandroso, Bevazaha , [Ankarafantsika PN], [15°59’S 46°56’E], 5.X.1948, Réserves Naturelles 1671 ( MO, P) ; Ankarafantsika , [16°11’S 47°06’E], 3.XI.1950, Réserves Naturelles 2020 ( G, MO, P) ; Soalala, Andranomavo , [16°21’S 45°17’E], 71-227 m, 27.III.1954, Réserves Naturelles 6142 ( P, TEF) ; Ankarafantsika , [16°11’S 47°06’E], Service Forestier 5bis ( P) ; ibid. loc., Service Forestier 55 ( K, P) ; Route Morondava-Belo, Andranomena , 20°10’30”S 44°25’30”E, 10 m, 18.X.1962, Service Forestier 21073 ( TEF) .

Figures

Fig. 2. Photographs of Noronhia Stadtm.ex Thouars. A. Noronhia alleizettei Dubard [Hong-Wa 622]; B. Noronhia aminae Hong-Wa [Hong-Wa 555]; C. Noronhia ankaranensis (H. Perrier) Hong-Wa [Hong-Wa 551]; D. Noronhia capuronii Bosser [Trigui 536].

Fig. 3. Distribution maps of species of Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars: N. alleizettei Dubard to N. capuronii Bosser.