66. Noronhia planifolia H. Perrier ex Hong-Wa, spec. nova (Fig. 50).

– Linociera incurvifolia var. planifolia H. Perrier in Mém. Inst. Sci. Madagascar, Sér. B, Biol. Vég. 2: 280. 1949 [nom. inval.].

– Noronhia incurvifolia var. planifolia (H. Perrier) Hong-Wa & Besnard in Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 67: 376. 2013 [nom. inval.].

Typus: M ADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Collines et plateaux calcaires de l’Ankarana, à l’E et NE d’Ambondrofe, [12°54’S 49°08’E], 300-350 m, XII.1937 - I.1938, Humbert 18966 (holo-: P [P03559156]!; iso-: K [K000233204] image seen, P [P03559158]!, WAG [WAG0004663] image seen) .

Diagnosis

Noronhia planifolia H. Perrier ex Hong-Wa can be distinguished from other members of the genus by its coriaceous, widely oblong leaf blades, bearing abundant domatia, its rostellate fruits, and crustaceous endocarp.

Description

Trees to 10 m tall; young twigs cylindrical, 0.6-1.6 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium gray, slightly rugose. Leaves opposite, persistent; bud scales deciduous; blades medium green above, lighter below, broadly oblong, 4-9 3 2-5.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, domatia abundant, base attenuate, margin flat, apex cuspidate, the cusp 3-10 mm long, midrib slightly sunken above, distinctly raised below, secondary veins conspicuous, 5-9 per side, 5-15 mm apart, looping 1-5 mm from the margin; petiole light gray, 4-15 3 0.8-1.6 mm, partially woody, glabrous. Flowers unseen, but infructescence thyrsoid. Fruiting pedicel 4-13 3 1.1-2.2 mm; young fruits green, brownish when mature, ovoid, 8.5-19 3 8.5-15 mm, surface smooth, apex flat to rostellate, with the persistent style; dry pericarp 0.5-0.8 mm thick; endocarp crustaceous; seed 6.5-12 3 5-10 mm.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the flat leaf blades of this species as opposed to the folded leaves of Noronhia incurvifolia, within which N. planifolia was originally considered to be a variety.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Noronhia planifolia occurs in low-elevation dry forests at Ankarana in the north (Fig. 49). It fruits from October to May.

Conservation status

Noronhia planifolia is currently known only from six collections representing six localities. The estimates indicated an EOO of 111 km 2, an AOO of 20 km 2, and five subpopulations representing five locations, of which one occurs within a protected area (Ankarana). Conversion of forested areas into agricultural field and pastureland and exploitation of forest products, resulting in habitat loss and degradation and loss of mature individuals, impact the subpopulations outside of protected areas. Therefore, N. planifolia is assigned a preliminary status of “Endangered” [EN B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab (i,ii,iii,iv,v)].

216 Boissiera 70

A. Fruiting branch; B. AdaxiaL side of Leaf bLade; C. AbaxiaL side of Leaf bLade.

Notes

Noronhia planifolia, originally recognized as a variety of N. incurvifolia, differs from it by its woody (vs. non-woody) petioles, flat (vs. folded and curved) leaf blades, and crustaceous (vs. woody), rostellate (vs. rostrate) fruits. A corona may also be present in this species although no flowering material has so far been collected. Noronhia planifolia also resembles N. cuspidata, from which it differs by having broadly oblong (vs. broadly elliptic), coriaceous (vs. subcoriaceous) leaf blades, longer petioles (15 mm vs. 9 mm), rostellate (vs. apiculate) fruit, and crustaceous (vs. subcrustaceous) endocarp. PERRIER DE LA BâTHIE’ s (1949) description of Linociera incurvifolia var. planifolia is invalid because he did not provide a Latin diagnosis (Art. 39.1; MCNEILL et al., 2012). Consequently, this entity, which is recognized here as a distinct species, is described here as new, retaining the original epithet and type collection.

Paratypi

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Ankarana RS, [12°49’S 49°01’E] , 50-409 m, 12-20.X.1993, Andrianantoanina 383 (K, MO, TAN); ibid. loc., à l’W de Mahamasina, 12°57’25”S 49°07’35”E, 161 m, 31. V .1995, Andrianantoanina et al. 801 (G, K, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loc., tsingy close to Campement des Anglais, 12°50’47”S 49°06’18”E, 82 m, 25. V .1999, De Block et al. 1012 (BR, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loc., [12°58’S 49°08’E], X.1964, Morat 891 (P, TAN); ibid. loc ., 12°58’S 49°08’E, 50 m, 15. VI .1995, Razafimandimbison & Andrianantoanina 98 (G, K, MO, P); Ankara, jardin botanique 8, [12°49’S 49°01’E] , 50-409 m, 24.VII.1954, Service Forestier 10423 (MO, P, TEF) .