Xyloolaena humbertii Cavaco

Lowry Ii, Porter P., Schatz, George E. & Wolf, Anne-Elizabeth, 2002, Endemic families of Madagascar. VIII. A synoptic revision of Xyloolaena Baill. (Sarcolaenaceae), Adansonia (3) 24 (1), pp. 7-19 : 10-11

1. Xyloolaena humbertii Cavaco

Bull. Soc. Bot. France 97: 224 (1950). — Type: Humbert 13837, Madagascar, Prov. Toliara, bassin de réception de la Mananara, affluent du Mandrare, pentes occidentales des montagnes entre l’Andohahela et l’Elakelaka, Mont Apiky au-dessus de Mahamavo, transition du bush xérophile à la forêt basse sclérophylle, [24°45’30”S, 46°43’30”E], 800-900 m, Jan.- Feb. 1934, fl. (holo-, P!; iso-, MO!, P!) .

Xyloolaena humbertii is known from only a single collection made nearly 70 years ago in transitional vegetation between sclerophyllous forest and dry bush (Fig. 1), possibly from within Andohahela PN. Label data on the type material indicate that X. humbertii is a small tree 6-8 m tall whose flowers have pale sulfur yellow petals. It can be distinguished from other members of the genus by its ovate leaves with a subcordate to cordate base.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Because Xyloolaena humbertii is known only from a single old collection and has not been recollected since, the avai-

Revision of Xyloolaena (Sarcolaenaceae)

Fig. 1. — Distributions of Xyloolaena , mapped on the bioclimatic zones of Madagascar (after CORNET 1974; see SCHATZ 2000). X. humbertii (*), X. perrieri (•), X. richardii (Δ), X. sambiranensis (+), X. speciosa (-).

lable data are insufficient to assess its conservation status, and it must therefore be regarded as Data Deficient (DD). If the original gathering was indeed made within Andohahela PN, then X. humbertii could be assigned a preliminary status of Vulnerable (VU).