Tabernaemontana stenoptera ( Leeuwenberg 1994:432 ) A. O. Simões & M.E. Endress

Alvarado-Cárdenas, Leonardo O., Lozada-Pérez, Lucio, Cadena, Joselin, Hernández, Sofia Islas-, Martínez-González, C. Ramiro, Cortez, Ericka B., González- Martínez, César A. & González-Ramírez, Ixchel S., 2019, The triad of knowledge: Systematic, diversity and conservation status of the Mexican species of Tabernaemontana (Apocynaceae; Rauvolfioideae: tribe Tabernaemontaneae), Phytotaxa 388 (1), pp. 1-46 : 36

16. Tabernaemontana stenoptera ( Leeuwenberg 1994:432) A. O. Simões & M.E. Endress in Simões et al. (2010:

788). ≡ Stemmadenia stenoptera Leeuwenb. ( Fig. 2 ).

Type:— MEXICO. Colima: Mun. Manzanillo Playa Miramar, 19 km NW of Manzanillo, 9 March 1981, E. Lott & J.A. S. Magallanes 359 (holotype USF 169197!, isotypes MEXU 00448842!, MO 040147!, WAG 0000210!).

Shrubs 2–4 m tall. Petioles 0.2–1 cm long; blades 2–12.5 × 1–3.7 cm, membranaceous, ovate, elliptic to lanceolate, base acute, apex acuminate, margin entire, glabrous on both sides. Inflorescence 2–5 flowers, peduncle 0.2–1.1 cm; bracts 1–2 mm long, ovate, scarious; pedicels 0.2–1 cm long; sepals unequal, 2 series, 3–5 mm long, ovate-oblong, acute, inconspicuous venation; corolla hypocrateriform, yellow, tube 1.1–1.3 × 0.4–0.5 cm, twisted around the anthers, infrastaminal appendages present, suprastaminal corona wing-shaped present, opposite the anthers, lobes 1–1.5 × 0.5–0.6 cm, oblong-obovate; stamens inserted at or above the middle of the corolla tube, anthers 3 mm long, included, probably yellow; pistil 7–9 mm long, nectary present. Follicles unknown.

Habitat and phenology: —Tropical deciduous forest, and coastal dunes, with an altitudinal range of 0–100 m a.s.l. Flowering known only in March.

Distribution: —Endemic to Mexico in the state of Colima ( Fig. 6f ).

Conservation status:— Endangered (EN) to probably extinct (EX). Tabernaemontana stenoptera is known only from the area of Manzanillo ( Fig. 6f ), the type locality, which is a tourist destination and is undergoing constant development ( SECTUR 2014), so the anthropogenic impact is very high. More information about the species is not available to provide a better evaluation, but due to its scarcity with no recent collections and the construction activities that may significantly impact its survival, we suggest including it in the category of endangered and probably extinct.

Common names and uses: —There are no common names or uses registered.

Notes: — Tabernaemontana stenoptera is morphologically similar to T. oxacana due to the short sepals and hypocrateriform corolla ( Fig. 2 ), but can be separated by its unequal and ovate-oblong sepals (vs. equal to subequal and ovate sepals), its short corolla with a tube 1.1–1.3 cm long (vs. tube 2.1–2.6 cm long), and its distribution restricted to Colima (vs. distributed Oaxaca).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Comparison of flowers of selected species of Tabernaemontana in Mexico. a T. alba. b T. arborea. c T. stenoptera. d T. venusta. e T. chamelensis. f T. citrifolia. g T. amygdalifolia. h T. hannae. i T. oaxacana. j T. donnell–smithii. k T. ochoterenae. l T. eubracteata. m T. riverae. n T. glabra. o T. tomentosa. p T. litoralis.

FIGURE 6. Distribution maps of Tabernaemontana species in Mexico. a T. alba and T. chamelensis. b T. amygdalifolia and T. riverae. c T. arborea, T. eubracteata, and T. oaxacana. d T. citrifolia and T. hannae. e T. donnell–smithii and T. ochoterenae. f T. glabra and T. venusta. g T. litoralis and T. mixtecana. h T. stenoptera and T. tomentosa.