Eugenia calciscopulorum N. Snow, 2015

Snow, Neil, Callmander, Martin & Phillipson, Peter B., 2015, Studies of Malagasy Eugenia - IV: Seventeen new endemic species, a new combination, and three lectotypifications; with comments on distribution, ecological and evolutionary patterns, PhytoKeys 49, pp. 59-121 : 63-65

Eugenia calciscopulorum N. Snow sp. nov. holotype (Figure 6): http://www.tropicos.org/Image/100314917; living material: http://www.tropicos.org/Image/100128169; http://www.tropicos.org/Image/100128168

Haec species quoad faciem habitumque Eugeniae richardii (Blume) N. Snow et al. et E. hazonjia N. Snow subsimilis, sed ab eis lamina foliari grosse sinuata, lobis calycinis roseoalbidis atque petalis subroseis distinguitur.

Type.

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Mahavanona, Andranomanitra, 12°23'27"S, 49°20'01"E, 11 Dec. 2004, S. Rakotonandrasana 883 + R. Randrianaivo, A. Rakotondrafara, C. Christian & J. Be (holotype: MO-6245566!; isotypes: CNARP, KSP [KSP000016]!, P [P04885354]!, TAN).

Description.

Trees to 6 m; dbh 13 cm; bark of main bole unknown. Herbage glabrous except as noted. Branchlets rounded; oil glands sparse to common but indistinct; first epidermal layer soon flaking irregularly and drying grayish; later-forming bark smooth, light brown or light gray, frequently cracking horizontally. Leaves coriaceous, mostly concentrated near branch tips; opposite to disjunct opposite, discolorous, surfaces matte. Foliar colleters absent. Petioles 3-4 mm, terete or somewhat sulcate proximally when young, broadening and flattening somewhat distally at base of blade. Leaf blades (1.7-)2.0-4.3 × 1.8-3.0 cm, broadly elliptic (mostly) or a few ovate, base rounded to slightly cuneate, apex obtuse to somewhat acute, margins more or less flat, surface overall broadly sinuous; adaxial midvein sulcate lower 1/3-1/2 becoming flush distally, oil glands common to dense but becoming faint with maturity; abaxial surface oil glands sparse to common but faint at maturity and relatively small, secondary veins relatively indistinct, intramarginal vein 1-2 mm from margin of leaf at midpoint of blade, faint. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, of 1-3 monads per leaf axil. Pedicels 7-15 mm, relatively stiff. Bracteoles 2; ca. 0.5-1.0 mm, ovate, stiff, sparsely short-pubescent distally (trichomes ca. 0.1 mm long). Hypanthium 1.5-2.0 mm, cupuliform to obconic, densely glandular. Calyx lobes 4, 2-3 mm, elliptic to oblong, apex rounded, whitish to pink when fresh, oil glands common and prominently. Petals 4 (material scant), 6-11 × 5-7 mm, elliptic to widely elliptic, sparsely short-ciliate apically, pinkish, oil glands common. Stamens ca. 70-90, multiseriate; filaments 5-8 mm, whitish; anthers 0.6-0.8 mm, globose to elliptic, sub-basifixed, yellowish, the connective bearing a single apical oil gland; staminal disk squarrish, ca. 3 mm across, sparsely short-hairy. Styles 7-9 mm; stigma narrow. Fruits unknown.

Etymology.

Calci and scopulorum combine to form a genitive plural masculine noun, in reference to the locality at the base of a calcareous (limestone) cliff.

Phenology.

Flowering December; fruiting most likely late December through January (unconfirmed).

Distribution.

Known only from the type gathering in north-eastern Madagascar in Antsiranana, in the Montagne des Français limestone massif (Figure 7).

Habitat and ecology.

Degraded dry forest at the foot of a cliff over calcareous substrates; ca. 410 m.

Conservation status.

The species was said to be abundant at the type gathering. However, with only one collection known, an AOO of 9 km2 and one subpopulation, which is situated within a proposed protected area that currently holds a temporary protection status (Montagne des Français), Eugenia calciscopulorum is assigned a preliminary risk of extinction of "Critically Endangered" [CR A3c+B1ab(iii)] following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN 2012). The species seems to have a highly restricted distribution and the dry deciduous forests around Montagne des Français is mostly degraded as a result of human activities and is under serious threat. Definitive protection of those dry forests likely would allow the species to be downlisted to “Vulnerable”.

Comments.

See Eugenia richardii for similar species.