Diospyros bernieriana (Baill.) H. Perrier

Schatz, George E., Lowry Ii, Porter P. & Phillipson, Peter B., 2020, Taxonomic studies of Diospyros (Ebenaceae) from the Malagasy region. V. Synoptic revision of the Bernieriana group in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Candollea 75 (2), pp. 203-218 : 205-206

1. Diospyros bernieriana (Baill.) H. Perrier in Mém. Inst. Sci. Madagascar, Sér. B, Biol. Vég. 4: 154. 1952.

 Olax bernieriana Baill. in Adansonia 3: 121. 1862.

Holotypus: MADAGASCAR. Reg. DIANA [Prov. Antsiranana]: “In Malacassia, Diégo Suarez”(= Madagascar, Antsiranana), s.d., fr., Bernier 259 ‘A’ ( P [ P00573708 ]!; iso-: P [ P00573568 ]!).

= Diospyros hildebrandtii Gürke in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 14: 312. 1892.  Diospyros haplostylis var. hildebrandtii (Gürke) H. Perrier in Mém. Inst. Sci. Madagascar, Sér. B, Biol. Vég. 4: 135. 1952.

Lectotypus (designated here): MADAGASCAR. Reg. DIANA [Prov. Antsiranana]: “Vavatobé”, II.1880, fr., Hildebrandt 3319 ( P [ P00573728 ]!; isolecto-: G [ G00341339 , G00341340 ]!, JE [ JE00000257 , JE00000258 ] image seen, M [ M0105326 ] image seen, P [ P00573729 ]!, US [ US00113447 ] image seen, W [ W-18890089177 ] image seen) .

Vernacular names. – “Jobiampototra” (Leopold 142); “Kirandrambiavy” (Be et al 100, 125; Service Forestier 6274); “Kirandrambiavy vavy” (Christian et al. 71); “Luangati mainty” (Barthelat et al. 331); “Mampingo” (Andriamihajarivo et al. 1067); “Mapingo” (Service Forestier 5581); “Tamtam hazou” (Barthelat et al. 331); “Tongozo lolo” (Pascal 943).

Distribution and ecology. – Diospyros bernieriana is known from dry to subhumid forest on both sand and calcareous substrates from Oronjia south to Vohemar along the east coast of Madagascar and Mahajanga along the west coast, as well as from Mayotte, Mwali and Grande Comore ( MADAGASCAR CATALOGUE, 2020), at an elevation of 0– 432 m.

Conservation status. – Diospyros bernieriana has a geographic range in the form of an Extent of Occurrence (EOO) of 188,912 km ² and a minimum Area of Occupancy (AOO) of 148 km ². It is present in the Andrafiamena Andavakoera, Ankarana, Antrema, Loky Manambato, Montagne des Français, and Oranjia protected areas. Outside of protected areas, it is threatened by fire, forest clearing for agriculture, grazing, and exploitation for firewood and house construction material. With respect to the principal threat of forest clearing for agriculture, it exists at 35 locations. Therefore, D. bernieriana can be assessed for its risk of extinction as “Least Concern” [LC].

Notes. – Diospyros bernieriana is one of only three Malagasy members of the genus that are not endemic to the island ( MADAGASCAR CATALOGUE, 2020). It is characterized by leaves with distinctly undulate margins and a calyx in fruit that completely encloses the fruit ( Fig. 1A ).

Two sheets of Bernier 259 are deposited in the Paris herbarium, one of which is annotated “ Olax bernieriana H. Bn. ” in Baillon’s hand, which we take to be the holotype. A second sheet of Bernier 259 with the original label is a mixture, comprising a small branch of D. bernieriana and a second branch that is clearly assignable to D. haplostylis Boivin ex Hiern. This sheet has an annotation label prepared by Perrier de la Bâthie indicating that he assigned it to D. haplostylis var. hildebrandtii , and indeed he cited Bernier 259 under that name. In order to avoid any possible confusion, we have therefore annotated the material belonging to D. bernieriana as Bernier 259 ‘A’ and that to D. haplostylis as Bernier 259 ‘B’. The holotype of D. hildebrandtii at B was destroyed. We have therefore selected the best preserved of the two sheets at P as the lectotype.

Additional material examined. – COMOROS. Anjouan (Ouani): sine loco, 100 m, 28.XI.1963, ♂ fl., Service Forestier 21748 ( P). Grande Comore (Ngazidja): inter Mitsamiouli et Ivoini, [11°22'20"S 43°20'40"E], 10 m, 3.XII.1967, ♂ fl., Bernardi 11692 ( G, MO, P, US). Moheli (Mwali): Djando, Itasmia , Chissiwa Madahani , 22.XI.1999, fr., Labat et al. 3193 ( CNDRS, G, K, MO, P); Hamavouno, Lac de Boundouni , 26.V.2006, fr., Labat 3701 ( MO, P); Wanani, Itsamia, au dessus de Boundouni , 26.XI.1999, ♂ fl., Labat et al. 3232 ( CNDRS, G, K, MO, P).

MADAGASCAR. Reg. Boeny [Prov. Mahajanga]: Ambalakida, forêt à l’W Alanandriamisasa , 20.IV.2007, fr., Miandrimanana et al. 114 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Antrema, IV.2011, Ranaivoson et al. 12-0063/V ( DBEV) ; forêt d’Antsahanitia , 19.II.2010, fr., Silo National des Graines Forestières (SNGF) 2443 ( K, P, TAN). Reg. DIANA [Prov. Antsiranana]: Andavakoera, 9.I.2006, fr., Leopold et al. 142 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; Andrafiabe, presqu’île entre Ambolobozobe et Ambolobozokely, 9.II.2005, fr., Ratovoson 975 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loco, Ampasimena, 28.XII.2008, fr., Christian et al. 71 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 16.VI.2005, fr., Be 125 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; Ankarana, 29.IV.1966, fr., Service Forestier 24732 ( G, K, MO, P) ; Ankerika, 7.II.1966, ♀ fl., Service Forestier 24537 ( G, K, MO, P, TEF) ; baie des Sakalaves , 13.III.1988, fr., Cheek & Rakotozafy 1485 ( K, MO, P, TAN) ; aux env. de la Baie de Rigny et à Diégo-Suarez, s.d., ster., Richard 112 ( P) ; sur la piste d’Ambilobe à Ambakirano, [13°14'S 49°09'E], 9.III.1964, fr., Service Forestier 23415 ( MO, P) ; à l’E. de Diego-Suarez, 25.II.1964, fr., Service Forestier 23253 ( MO, P) ; ibid. loco, 23.I.2005, fr., Ratovoson et al. 768 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 15.XII.1963, ♂ fl., Service Forestier 22957 ( MO) ; ibid. loco, 15.XII.1963, ♀ fl., fr., Service Forestier 22958 ( G, K, MO, P, TEF, WAG) ; forêt d’Ambararata , 13.II.2005, fr., Schatz et al. 4256 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; forêt d’Ankonahona , 25.I.2007, fr., Rakotonandrasana et al. 1152 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; forêt de Sahafary , 15.II.2005, fr., Schatz et al. 4298 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; forêt Orangéa, 30.III.2015, fr., Tombonirina 77 ( MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 15.XII.1963, buds, Service Forestier 22958 ( G, K, MO, P, TEF, WAG) ; Mahavanona, Mahagaga , Ampitiliantsambo , 12.VI.2004, fr., Razafitsalama et al. 602 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; Montagne des Français, 13.XII.2006, buds, Andriamihajarivo & et al. 1067 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 24.III.1955, ♂ fl., Service Forestier 13138 ( TEF) ; Ambato massif, 16.II.1993, fr., Birkinshaw 232 ( MO, P) ; Nosy Voanio, 18.III.2006, fr., Razafitsalama 957 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; Oranjia , 14.I.2011, fr., Schatz et al., 4342 ( MO) ; ibid. loco, 26.III.2019, fr., Randriamahazomanana 25 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Ambodivahibe , 18.V.2005, fr., Be 100 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 19.V.2005, fr., Ramananjanahary et al. 311 ( CNARP, MO, P, TAN) ; rte de Ramena , 18.X.2013, fr., SNGF 3258 ( K, MO, P, TAN, TEF). Reg. SAVA [Prov. Antsiranana]: Loky Manambato, 6.X.2013, ster., Manjakahery et al. 455 ( MO, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 6.X.2013, ster., Manjakahery et al. 479 ( MO, TAN) ; ibid. loco, 11.V.2004, fr., Rabehevitra et al. 958 ( MO, P, TEF) ; ibid. loco, 2.XI.2002, buds, Rabenantoandro & et al. 1102 ( G, MO, P, TEF) ; ibid. loco, 24.II.2003, fr., Rabevohitra et al. 4522 ( G, MO, P) ; ibid. loco, 10.VII.2003, buds, Razakamalala 529 ( MO, P, TEF) ; ibid. loco, 7.IV.2004, fr., Ranirison 573 ( MO, P) ; ibid. loco, 1.XII.1952, fr., Service Forestier 6274 ( MO, P, TEF) ; S de Vohemar , 13.III.1967, fr., Service Forestier 27478 ( MO, P, TEF). Reg. Sofia [Prov. Mahajanga]: Ambanja , 15.VIII.1952, fr., Service Forestier 5581 ( P, TEF).

MAYOTTE. Cant. Bouéni: Passi Keli , 18.I.1997, fr., Pascal 865 ( K, MO, NY, P, WAG) ; Rassi Maoussi, 17.V.1999, fr., Mas 179 ( K, MO, P). Cant. Dembeni: Sohoa , 28.VI.1997, fr., Pascal 943 ( MO, P). Cant. Dzaoudzi: Labattoir , 15.I.2002, ♀ fl., Barthelat & Al Sifari 698 ( G, K, MO, P). Cant. Mamoudzou: Îlot Bouzi , 14.III.2001, fr., Barthelat et al. 331 ( G, K, MAO, MO, P) ; ibid. loco, 26.IX.2001, fr., Barthelat et al. 528 ( P).

Figures

Fig. 1. – Diospyros bernieriana (Baill.) H. Perrier: A. Immature fruits with developing calyx. D. hongwae G.E. Schatz, Lowry & Phillipson: B–D. Nearly mature fruits with expanding calyx. [A: Schatz et al. 4342; B–D: Hong-Wa 317] [Photos: A: G.E. Schatz; B–D: C. Hong-Wa]