Wetschnig, Knirsch & Martínez-Azorín & Pfosser & Wetschnig, 2015

Knirsch, Walter, Martínez-Azorín, Mario, Pfosser, Martin & Wetschnig, Wolfgang, 2015, The reinstatement and rediagnosis of the madagascan genus Rhodocodon (Asparagaceae, Scilloideae), with validation and remarks on H. Perrier’s taxa, Phytotaxa 195 (2), pp. 101-134 : 116

6. Rhodocodon floribundus [H.Perrier ex] Knirsch, Mart.-Azorín & Wetschnig sp. nov.

≡ Rhodocodon floribundus Perrier de la Bâthie (1938: 117) , nom. inval.

Illustrations:—fig. XV (8) in Perrier de la Bâthie (1938: 119).

Type:— MADAGASCAR: rocailles (gneiss), 1500 m, Manankazo, au N.E. d’Ankazobe, Novembre 1913, Perrier 10960 (holotype P 00573460!, Fig. 12 ; isotype P 00573459!) .

Description:—Deciduous bulbous plant, 45 ‒ 60 cm high. Bulb ovoid, 2 ‒ 4 × 3 ‒ 6 cm; roots white, branched. Leaves 3 ‒ 4 per bulb, absent or starting to emerge at flowering time, linear to lanceolate, long tapering, 20 ‒ 42 × 1 ‒ 2.4 cm, green, glabrous, smooth, with a distinct keel on the abaxial side. Inflorescence an erect, lax raceme; peduncle 20 ‒ 30 cm long, green, smooth; raceme with 45 ‒ 75 flowers, about as long as the peduncle; pedicels 12 ‒ 17 mm long at the anthesis, thin, patent or suberect, distally curved downwards, when fruiting 17 ‒ 21 mm long, spreading; bracts slender-linear, ca. 1.5 ‒ 2 mm long, the lowermost with a spur 0.8 ‒ 2 mm long; bracteoles present; flowers nodding, green, with translucent, rose-colored adjacent parts of the suture of tepals. Perigone urceolate, 4–5 × 4–5 mm, tepals connate for most of their length, with triangular, reflexed lobes, 0.7 × 0.5 mm. Stamens 6, filaments shortly adnate to the perigone tube and arising from the lower third of the tube; free portion of filaments cylindrical, 1–1.3 mm long; anthers yellow, 1–1.4 mm long, acute, dehiscing for their whole length, nearly basifixed. Ovary globose, 1.5–2 × 1.5–1.7 mm, with 2–3 ovules per locule; style subulate, 1.7–2 mm long; stigma punctiform. Capsule globose, ca. 5 × 5 mm, sometimes with one of the locules aborted. Seeds fusiform, faceted, L-H-W: 3.4 ‒ 2 ‒ 2.2 mm, black, slightly glossy, without a distinct raphe. Fig. 13 .

Diagnosis:— Rhodocodon floribundus resembles R. graciliscapus but the former has bigger flowers, thicker, erect scapes, shows bracteoles and produce seeds without raphe.

Habitat:— Rhodocodon floribundus grows in sandy soils along riversides and between rocks (gneiss), at an elevation of about 1500 m. Mean temperature in December is 21°C; the lowest mean temperature was recorded in July (15.7°C). The driest month is July with only 4 mm of mean precipitation; the precipitation richest month is January (364 mm).

Biology:—Flowering and fruiting time: November to December.

Distribution:— MADAGASCAR. Province Antananarivo: region Analamanga, Manankazo north of Ankazobe. Only known from this single locality (the type).

Comments:—We were able to collect this species near the type locality, recollection on the type locality was not possible due to habitat destruction.

Selected material studied:— MADAGASCAR. Province Antananarivo: region Analamanga, Manankazo north of Ankazobe, 1500 m, February 2011, W. Knirsch, A. Sieder & J. Andriantiana 6313 (GZU!).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Holotype of Rhodocodon floribundus H.Perrier ex Knirsch, Mart.-Azorín & Wetschnig: Perrier 10960 (P 00573460!).

FIGURE 13. Flower morphology of Rhodocodon floribundus H.Perrier ex Knirsch, Mart.-Azorín & Wetschnig (corresponding to WW 4478!). Lateral view (left), dissection in lateral view (center) and apical view (right). Scale bar 1 mm.