Hilsenbergia bosseri J.S. Mill., 2003

Miller, James S., 2003, Classification of Boraginaceae subfam. Ehretioideae: Resurrection of the genus Hilsenbergia Tausch ex Meisn., Adansonia (3) 25 (2), pp. 151-189 : 162-164

3. Hilsenbergia bosseri J.S. Mill. , sp. nov.

Frutex vel arbor parva usque ad 5(-8) m alta, cortice exfoliante, ramunculis glabris. Folia decidua, alterna; lamina elliptica , interdum leviter falcata, (2.4-)3-5(-6) cm longa, 1-2 cm lata, apice obtusa usque acuta et interdum breve acuminata , basi acuta, margine integra et interdum minute revoluta , utrinque glabra ; petiolo 8- 11.5(-20) mm longo. Inflorescentiae terminale, cymosae vel ex flore solitario constans. Flores bisexuales; calyce campanulato, c. 5 mm longo, 5-lobo, extus glabro, intus dense puberula; corolla alba , urceolata . Fructus drupaceus, luteus usque aurantiacus , depresse globosus, 12-16 mm longus, 13-21 mm in diam.; pyrenis 4, alatis.

TYPUS. — Miller & Randrianasolo 6182, Madagascar, Prov. Toliara, 95 km W of Fort Dauphin , on Route Nationale 13, at Andalitany, 200 m, 25°08’S, 46°12’E, fr., 29 Mar. 1991 (holo-, MO!; iso-, G!, K!, MO!, P!, TAN!, WAG!) .

Shrub or small tree to 5(-8) m tall, the bark smooth and exfoliating, the twigs glabrous. Leaves deciduous, alternate; blades elliptic, sometimes somewhat falcate, widest at or near the middle, (2.4-)3-5(-6) cm long, 1-2 cm wide, the apex obtuse to acute and sometimes shortly acuminate, the base acute, the margin entire and sometimes minutely revolute, glabrous on both surfaces, venation eucamptodromous, the midrib even with the adaxial surface or slightly impressed, raised on the abaxial surface, the secondary veins 4-7, faintly visible, the tertiary venation reticulate, faint; petioles 8-11.5(-20) mm long, canaliculate on the adaxial surface, glabrous.

Inflorescences terminal, small cymes of up to 12 flowers or the flowers solitary, the branches glabrous. Flowers bisexual; calyx campanulate, c. 5 mm long, 4 mm wide, 5-lobed, the lobes deltate, 1.3-1.8 mm long, glabrous on the exterior surface, densely puberulent on the interior surface and thus appearing ciliate along the margins of the lobes; corolla urceolate, with reflexed and recurved lobes, c. 5 mm long, 4 mm wide, 5-lobed, the lobes ovate, c. 2 mm long, 2 mm wide, minutely puberulent on the upper exterior surface; stamens 5, the filaments 4.5 mm long, the upper 1.8 mm free, glabrous, anthers ellipsoid, 1.3 mm long; ovary ovoid, c. 2 mm long, 2 mm wide, the style 3 mm long, the 2 stigmas capitate.

Fruits drupaceous; green to yellow or orange, then maturing blue-black or black, borne in the persistent, 6-12 mm broad calyx, globose, 12- 16 mm long, 13-21 mm in diameter, the exocarp leathery, the endocarp bony, separating into 4, single-seeded pyrenes, 7-12 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, with dense parallel papery wings on the exterior surface.— Fig.4 .

Hilsenbergia bosseri has the smallest leaves of any of the large-fruited members of the genus and is the only species from this group found in the dry forests between Tuléar and Ft. Dauphin. It is easily recognized by its glabrous, elliptic leaves that are 3-5 cm long. The other species with glabrous leaves are either densely branched shrubs with very small leaves ( H. croatii and H. leslieae ) or more northern species with leave blades greater than 5 cm long.

This species is named in honor of Jean BOSSER who collected extensively in Madagascar, is one of the foremost authorities on its flora, and continues his prolific taxonomic contributions.

DISTRIBUTION. — Hilsenbergia bosseri is widespread in southern Madagascar ( Fig. 2 ).

VERNACULAR NAMES. — Andy, Borodoka, Vatoa, Vavatoa, Voavaloa.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Provisional IUCN Red List Category: Endangered (EN B2ab(i-iv)). Hilsenbertia bosseri is widespread in southern Madagascar, but apparently sporadic within the region, with an Extent of Occurrence of only 220 km 2. Further field studies may prove this species is more common than available collections indicate.

PARATYPES. — MADAGASCAR: Alluaud s.n., Prov. Toliara, Behara , 24 o 57’S, 46°23’E, fr., Sep. 1900 ( MO!, P!) ; Bosser 10480, Prov. Toliara, environs d’Ambovombe, 25°10’S, 46°05’E, fl., Oct. 1956 ( MO!, P!) ; Chauvet 107, Prov. Toliara, route d’Ifaty- Tuléar, fr., Aug. 1961 ( MO!, P!, TEF!) ; Cours 4632, s.loc., fr., s.d. (MO!, P!); Decary 8592, Prov. Toliara, Ambovombe , 25°10’S, 46°05’E, fr., 13 Mar. 1931 ( P!) ; Decary 9331, Prov. Toliara, Ambovombe , 25°10’S, 46°05’E, fr., 21 Oct. 1931 ( P!) ; Dumetz 1339, Prov. Toliara, Préfecture de Fort Dauphin , Andohahela Reserve No. 11, parcelle 2, 120- 1000 m, 24°53’S, 46°36’E, fr., 20 Oct. 1990 ( K!, MO!, P!) ; Hoffman, Ranaivojaona, Ralimanana & Randriamampionona 161, Prov. Toliara, Parc National d’Andohahela, dirt track to Talakifeno village near Ambatohabo, 200 m, 24°52’36”S, 46°37’56”E, fr., 9 Oct. 2000 ( K!) ; Homolle 1711, s.loc., fr., s.d. (MO!, P!); Humbert 12754, Prov. Toliara, vallée de la Manambolo, bassin du Mandrare, au NW de Maroaomby, Betsioky, forêt sèche et bush xérophile, 300-400 m, 24°30’S, 46°35’E, fr., Dec. 1933 ( MO!, P!) ; Humbert 20041, Prov. Toliara, environs de Manombo, forêt d’Isonto à l’ouest d’Ankililoaka, forêt tropophile et bush xérophile sur sables roux, 80-150 m, 22°46’S, 43°36’E, fr., 28 Jan. 1947 ( P!) ; Humbert & Capuron 28938, Prov. Toliara, Bevilany à l’ouest de Fort-Dauphin, bush xérophile sur terrains cristallins, 100-200 m, 25°01’S, 46°36’E, 11 Feb. 1955 ( P!) ; Humbert & Swingle 5499, Prov. Toliara, bassin de la Linta, plateau calcaire à l’est du delta, 200-250 m, 24°45’S, 44°21’E, fr., 29 Aug. 1928 ( MO!, P!) ; Keraudren 977, Prov. Toliara, route d’Ambovombe à Amboasary à 20 km environ d’Ambovombe, 25°05’S, 46°17’E, fr., Apr. 1960 ( MO!, P!) ; Miller et al. 10746, Prov. Toliara, 50 km west of Route Nationale 10 on a dirt track north of the secondary road to Beheloka, WSW of Betioky, 250 m, 23°44’40”S, 44°08’58”E, fr., 30 Jan. 2003 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Peltier 1381, Prov. Toliara, au nord d’Ambatoveve, 23°53’S, 44°03’E, fr., 20 Nov. 1959 ( P!) ; Peltier 2892, Prov. Toliara, Bevoay, près Beraketa, 24°50’S, 46°11’E, fr., 17 Jan. 1961 ( P!) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 18652, Prov. Toliara, entre le Mandrare et le Manambolo, 24°35’S, 46°30’E, fr., June 1932 ( P!) ; Phillipson & Milijaona 3578, Prov. Toliara, 15 km NW of Ambovombe on Route Nationale 13, 150 m, 25°05’S, 45°57’E, fr., 20 Feb. 1990 ( K!, MO!, P!) ; Poisson 298, Prov. Toliara, Befandry, 23°18’S, 43°42’E, fr., 2 Aug. 1911 ( P!) ; Réserves Naturelles: RN5046, Prov. Toliara, Réserve Naturelle 11, Andohahela, Canton Behara, Androy, 120-1006 m, 24°57’S, 46°23’E, fr., 15 Mar. 1953 ( MO!, P!) ; Service Forestier: SF1523 (Begue), Prov. Toliara, forêt de Beara, 50 m, 24°57’S, 46°23’E, fr., 16 Sep. 1950 ( P!) ; Service Forestier: SF3944 , Prov. Toliara, Canton d’Ampotaka, 2 km du Manombo, Beloha , 25°05’S, 44°45’E, fr., 11 Aug. 1951 ( P!, TEF!) ; Service Forestier: SF5301 (Ngoloka), Prov. Toliara, route Antanimora- Ambovombe P. K 332, 150 m, 24°14’S, 47°15’E, fr., 10 May 1952 ( P!) ; Service Forestier: SF11717 (Capuron), Prov. Toliara, sur les pentes du massif de l’Angavo, à l’est d’Antanimora , 24 o 51’S, 45 o 48’E, fl., fr., Feb. 1955 ( MO!, P!) ; Service Forestier: SF11740 (Capuron 11740), Prov. Toliara, à l’est d’Antanimora, vers la base du massif de l’Angavo, 200-530 m, 24°51’S, 45°48’E, fr., 24-25 Jan. 1955 ( P!) ; Service Forestier: SF12201 (Andrianaraison), Prov. Toliara, Androangabe, 50 m, 24°29’S, 47°03’E, fl., 6 Nov. 1954 ( P!) ; Service Forestier: SF12676 (Bototsalaoendry), Prov. Toliara, Tuléar, Ambohimahavelona, 100 m, 23°16’S, 43°54’E, fr., 27 Jan. 1955 ( P!) ; Service Forestier: SF15536 (Andrianaraison), Prov. Toliara, Amkiliroy- Ambovombe , 200 m, 25°10’S, 46°05’E, fr., 26 Jan. 1955 ( P!) ; Service Forestier: SF28301 (Capuron), Prov. Toliara, environs Est d’Antanimora , 24°14’S, 47°15’E, fr., 7 Sep. 1968 ( P!, TEF!) .

Figures

Fig. 4. — Hilsenbergia bosseri J.S. Mill.: A, flowering branch; B, close-up of leaf showing detailed venation; C, fruiting calyx showing uneven separation of the five lobes; D, dorsal view of pyrene; E, cross-section of dorsal surface of pyrene. Service Forestier SF11717 (Capuron). Drawn by A. JOUY.

Fig. 2. — Distributions of Hilsenbergia species, mapped on the simplified bioclimate zones of Madagascar (after CORNET 1974; see SCHATZ 2000).