Perrierodendron capuronii J.-F. Leroy, Lowry, Haevermans, Labat & G.E. Schatz, 2000

Lowry Ii, Porter P., Haevermans, Thomas, Labat, Jean-Noël, Schatz, George E., Leroy, Jean-François & Wolf, Anne-Elizabeth, 2000, Endemic families of Madagascar. V. A synoptic revision of Eremolaena, Pentachlaena and Perrierodendron (Sarcolaenaceae), Adansonia (3) 22 (1), pp. 11-31 : 21-23

2. Perrierodendron capuronii J.-F. Leroy, Lowry, Haevermans, Labat & G.E. Schatz , sp. nov.

Arbor ca. 20 m alta. Folia petiolo 0.7-1. cm longo, parce stellato-pubescente; lamina obovata, chartacea subcoriaceave, (2.5-)5-9 × (2.5-) 4-6.5 cm, utrinque indumento stellato praesertim secus nervos primarios secundariosque parce induta, apice rotundata vel leviter emarginata, margine irregulariter subundulata, basi truncata subcordatave, nervis secundariis 7- ad 9-jugatis. Inflorescentia axillaris ex floribus 1 ad 7 constans, interdum in axilla inter ramulum et axin florem solitarium gerens; axe primario 1-5 cm longo, parce stellato-strigoso; pedunculis 1-3 mm longis, indumento stellato dense obtectis; involucro sub anthesi undulato, 1.5-2. mm in diam., dense papilloso-strigoso, flores sessiles unum duosve quemque ca. 2.5 cm in diam. includente. Flos sepalis 5, imbricatis, coriaceis, integris, asymmetricis, duobus externis ca. 1.5 × 1.5 mm, tribus internis ca. 8 × 6-9 mm; petalis 5, obovatis, ca. 15 × 8 mm, ut videtur glabris sed sub lente utrinque trichomatibus papillosis dispersis indutis visis, apice rotundatis emarginatis; staminibus 45 ad 50; ovario imperfecte biloculari in quoque loculo ovula duo gerente, breviter conico, a basi usque ad styli basin dense piloso, ca. 2 × 3 mm; stylo glabro, ca. 5 mm longo, ca. 1 mm in diam. Fructus obovoideus, apicem rotundatum versus leviter bilobus, 0.8-1.3 × 0.8-1.2 × 0.7-1 cm, laevis (eporcatus); exocarpio tenui dense breviter stellatostrigoso; involucro sub fructu reflexo, maturitate 0.6-1 cm in diam., irregulariter undulato; seminibus in quoque loculo uno duobusve.

TYPUS. — Service Forestier 9279, Madagascar, Prov. Antsiranana, Amponaomby, Andapa , [14°48’S, 49°33’E], 3 Dec. 1953, fl. (holo-, P!; iso-, P!, TEF) .

Trees 20 meters tall, bole to 8 m, bark with slight cracks. Young twigs with dense stellate indumentum toward apex. Leaves obovate, brown above, greenish-brown below (in dry material), chartaceous to subcoriaceous, (2.5-)5-9 × (2.5-) 4-6.5 cm, with sparse stellate indumentum mostly on the primary and secondary veins of both surfaces, apex rounded to slightly emarginate, margin irregularly and weakly undulate, base truncate to subcordate, venation brochidodromous, with 7-9 pairs of alternate to subopposite secondary veins, midrib weakly channeled above, raised below; petiole 0.7-1 cm long, sparsely stellate, adaxially canaliculate; stipules unknown, caducous, scars inconspicuous. Inflorescences axillary, with 1-7 flowers, primary axis 1-5 cm long, sparsely stellate-strigose, sometimes also with a single axillary flower borne between the stem and the inflorescence axis; bracts not seen; peduncles 1-3 mm long, densely covered with stellate indumentum, involucre in flower undulate, 1.5-2 mm in diam., densely papillate-strigose, containing 1 or 2 sessile flowers each ca. 2.5 cm in diam.; sepals 5, imbricate, coriaceous, entire, asymmetrical, the 2 small external ones 1.5 × 1.5 mm, deltoid, the 3 internal ones 8 × 6-9 mm, glabrous and papyraceous where covered by the adjacent sepal, densely stellate-strigose below where exposed; petals 5, contorted in opposite direction from sepals, obovate, 15 × 8 mm, appearing glabrous but with scattered papillose hairs on both surfaces, apex rounded, notched; extrastaminal disc cupuliform, 1 mm high, with an irregular margin; stamens ca. 45-50, not persistent in fruit, filaments ca. 1 cm long, glabrous, anthers 1 × 1 mm, basifixed; ovary shortly conical, densely pilose (glabrous at the base of the style), 2 × 3 mm, with 2 incomplete locules each containing 2 ovules; style glabrous, ca. 5 mm long, 1 mm in diam., stigma 1-1.5 mm long, crateriform, margin distinctly undulate. Fruits obovoid, weakly bi-lobed toward the rounded apex, 0.8-1.3 × 0.8-1.2 × 0.7-1 cm, smooth (without ridges), exocarp thin, densely short stellate-strigose, endocarp thin, involucre reflexed, 0.6-1 cm in diam. at maturity, irregularly undulate; seeds 1-2 per locule, spherical to hemispherical (depending on the number), 5-6 mm long, brown, endosperm lacking, cotyledons contorted, radicle included, ca. 5 mm long. — Fig. 5 .

Perrierodendron capuronii is known from only three collections, the type gathering, which is in flower, and two paratypes, one with numerous fruits and only a few partially damaged, detached leaves, and another from the same area with a few very young fruits and numerous well preserved leaves that closely match those of the holotype. We associate the holotype with the other collections based primarily on similarities in their inflorescence structure and leaf color, texture and venation, as well as the fact that the blade is distinctly shiny on its adaxial surface. The sites at which the paratype collections were made near Moramanga are over 400 km to the SSW of the type locality ( Fig. 4 ), and may be situated closer to sea level. However, until additional material at other stages of development becomes available from either or both areas, it seems best to treat them as belonging to a single species.

Perrierodendron capuronii can be distinguished from other members of the genus by its leaves with a shiny adaxial surface, its obovoid and weakly bi-lobed, 2-seeded fruit covered with very short stellate indumentum, and its reflexed involucre with an undulate margin.

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific epithet honors the renowned forest botanist René CAPURON, who contributed so much to our understanding of the Malagasy flora, and who took a special interest in the taxonomy and morphology of the island’s endemic plant families.

VERNACULAR NAMES. — Ampaliala, Tanantanampotsy.

PARATYPES. — MADAGASCAR, Prov. Toamasina: SF 25523, Anosibe an’Ala, Ambatoafo , Fiadanana , [19°32’S, 48°30’E], 18 Feb. 1965, ster. ( K, MO, P, TEF); SF 26658, Moramanga, Toby-Andasimanara , [19°04’S, 48°14’E], 900 m, 6 Feb. 1968, fr. ( P [2 sheets], TEF) .

Figures

Fig. 5. — Perrierodendron capuronii: A, flowering branch; B, flower at anthesis; C, flower (schematic transverse section); D, sepal; E, petal; F, fruit. (A-E, Service Forestier 9279; F, Service Forestier 26658).

Fig. 4. — Distributions of Perrierodendron, mapped on the simplified bioclimatic zones of Madagascar (SCHATZ in press, after CORNET 1974). P. boinense (*), P. capuronii (+), P. occidentalis (•), P. quartzitorum (Δ), P. rodoense (-).