51. Noronhia mangorensis H. Perrier in Mém. Inst. Sci. Madagascar, Sér. B, Biol. Vég. 2: 302. 1949 (Fig. 33D).

Lectotypus (designated here): MADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: Forêt au S de Moramanga, [18°56’S 48°13’E], s.d., Decary 7186 (P [P00573405]!; isolecto-: P [P00413246, P00573406]!) .

Description

Trees to 12 m tall, trunk to 10 cm diameter; young twigs cylindrical, 0.7-1.5 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium gray, smooth. Leaves opposite, persistent; bud scales persistent; blades dark green above, lighter below, oblong to ovate, 4.5-8.5 3 2-4.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, domatia absent, base acute to attenuate, margin flat to slightly revolute, apex cuspidate, the cusp 3-11 mm long, midrib flat to slightly sunken above, slightly raised below, secondary veins conspicuous, 6-10 per side, 5-14 mm apart, looping 1.5-4 mm from the margin; petiole medium gray, 3-10 3 0.7-1.8 mm, entirely woody, glabrous. Flowers fasciculate; pedicel 5-13 mm long, very sparsely pubescent; calyx very sparsely pubescent outside, the pubescence being clustered at the tips, glabrous inside, lobes triangular, 1.2-2.5 3 1-2.5 mm; corolla purplish pink outside, cream inside, cupuliform, 4.5-7 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 2.5-5 mm long, lobes widely ovate, apex obtuse cucullate; corona present, 0.8-2.1 mm long, undivided; stamens 1.3-2.8 mm long, anthers obtriangular, 1-1.8 mm long; pistil 1.7- 2.5 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruiting pedicel 6-20 3 0.6-1.9 mm; young fruits green, dark red when mature, ovoid, 9-21 3 6-16.5 mm, surface rugose, apex flat, style persistent; dry pericarp 0.4-1.3 mm thick; endocarp woody; seed 11 3 9 mm.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Noronhia mangorensis occurs in mid- to high-elevation humid forests in the east, from Zahamena to Analamazaotra (Fig. 36). It produces flowers and fruits throughout the year except in March and April.

Conservation status

The assessment included 22 collections representing 22 localities and yielded an EOO of 4,275 km 2, an AOO of 64 km 2, and nine subpopulations representing eight locations, of which three occur within two protected areas (Torotorofotsy and Zahamena). With ongoing habitat degradation and loss resulting from shifting agriculture, forest exploitation and industrial mining, N. mangorensis is assigned a preliminary status of “Vulnerable” [VU B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(ii,iii,iv,v)], although a reduction in EOO is not expected in the near future.

Notes

Noronhia mangorensis can be recognized by its coriaceous, somewhat sub-bullate leaf blades, fasciculate, cupuliform and pinkish flowers, and rugose fruits. It differs from N. disjuncta and N. humblotiana by the features discussed under these two species, and from N. ovalifolia H. Perrier by its cuspidate (vs. acuminate) leaf blades, fasciculate (vs. solitary) flowers, and ovoid (vs. subglobose) and rugose (vs. smooth) fruits. This species was based on two syntypes (Cours 675 and Decary 7186), of which Decary 7186 (a sheet of which is selected here as the lectotype) belongs to N. mangorensis whereas Cours 675 is assigned to N. domatifera . While two of the four fragments representing the specimen Réserves Naturelles 1966 deposited at P ([P00701311]) are assigned to N. mangorensis, the other two do not even belong to Noronhia and probably represent material of Memecylon, with which it is often confused because both have leaves that are opposite and coriaceous, and are sometimes also referred to using the same vernacular name. The specimen at TAN includes only a single fragment, which can be assigned to Noronhia mangorensis .

Additional specimens examined

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: Ambatovy, 18°52’07”S 48°16’27”E, 1016 m, 28.X.2008, Andriantiana et al. 549 (MO, TAN); Moramanga, Ambohibary, Ampitambe, Ambohimanarivo forest, 18°51’51”S 48°18’49”E, 1001 m, 13.II.2008, Antilahimena et al. 6043 (G, MO, P, TAN, TEF); ibid. loc., 18°51’50”S 48°18’48”E, 1005 m, 14.II.2008, Antilahimena et al. 6044 (MO, P, TAN, TEF); Brickaville, Maroseranana, Ambodilendemy, 18°22’56”S 48°47’16”E, 836 m, 13.III.2011, Antilahimena 7646 (MO, P, TAN); Périnet, 18°55’S 48°25’E, 980 m, 4.XI.1985, Gentry et al. 52558 (MO, P, TAN); Andasibe, Menalamba, Ambatovy, 18°48’47”S 48°20’34”E, 1101 m, 9.X.2008, Miandrimanana et al. 374 (MO, P, TAN); Zahamena PN, Antanandava, Ankosy, 17°28’58”S 48°44’10”E, 997 m, 12.VII.2000, Rakotonandrasana et al. 408 (G, MO, P); 1.5 km SE d’Ankosy, en dehors du Parc National de Zahamena, 17°29’38”S 48°43’50”E, 900 m, 25.I.2000, Rakotondrajaona et al. 119 (G, MO, P); Ambatovy, 18°51’44”S 48°18’34”E, 1025 m, 11.II.2008, S. Randrianasolo et al. 650 (G, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loc., 18°51’04”S 48°18’58”E, 1129 m, 6.VI.2008, S. Randrianasolo et al. 717 (MO, P, TAN); Manakambahiny Est, Tsaralalana, [17°42’S 48°54’E], 18.II.1950, Réserves Naturelles 1966 (P, TAN) ; Moramanga, Torotorofotsy, 18°52’19”S 48°21’01”E, 950-1000 m, 4.I.2003, Rogers et al. 32 A (MO, TAN).