Acalypha lanceolata Willd. var. glandulosa (Müll.Arg.) Radcl.

Muñoz, Iris Montero, Levin, Geoffrey A. & Cardiel, José María, 2023, Monograph of Acalypha L. (Euphorbiaceae) of the Western Indian Ocean Region, with the description of a new species from Mayotte, Adansonia (3) 45 (26), pp. 395-496 : 451-452

25. Acalypha lanceolata Willd. var. glandulosa (Müll.Arg.) Radcl. -Sm.

Kew Bulletin 44 (3): 444 ( Radcliffe-Smith 1989). — Acalypha crenata var. glandulosa Müll.Arg. , Linnaea 34: 43 ( Müller Argoviensis 1865). — Type: Tanzania. Zanzibar, 1847-1852, L. H. Boivin s.n. (lecto-, designated by Montero Muñoz et al. [2018a: 102]: P[P05511211]; isolecto-, P[P05510174, P05511212, P05511225]).

ICONOGRAPHY. — Fig. 46E.

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific epithet probably refers to the lanceolate shape of the leaf blades. The infraspecific epithet probably refers to the glandular trichomes present on the female bracts.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. — Acalypha lanceolata is widely distributed in the Paleotropics; var. glandulosa occurs in East Tropical Africa and South Tropical Africa. Probably introduced in Madagascar (Diana), Comoros Archipelago ( Mayotte), and Mascarene Islands ( La Réunion). In Madagascar in low altitude moist evergreen forest on sandstone; altitude c. 744 m. Collected in a garden in La Réunion; altitude c. 153 m ( Fig. 43 ).

PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT. — Acalypha lanceolata var. glandulosa is preliminarily assessed as Data Deficient (DD) because the material from continental Africa of this species needs to be revised, and therefore we cannot assess the conservation status of this species.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 4 collections. Comoros Archipelago. d’Alleizette, Ch. s.n. (L[L0242227]).

Madagascar. Perrier de la Bâthie, H. 9929 (P[P05547067]), 15471 (P[P05547068, P05547073, P05547074]).

La Réunion. Cadet, Th. 1087 (P[P04779322]).

REFERENCES. — Müller Argoviensis (1866: 872); Coode (1982: 69, 79); Govaerts et al. (2000: 71); Seebaluck et al. (2015: 152); Montero Muñoz et al. (2018a: 102).

DESCRIPTION

Annual herbs,to 0.5 m tall,monoecious. Branches puberulent with simple, short, curved, retrorse trichomes and glandular trichomes to 1 mm long, glabrescent when mature. Axillary buds naked, pubescent with simple, short trichomes. Stipules to 2 mm long, triangular-lanceolate, sparsely hairy with simple, short trichomes. Petioles (2.5-) 3-4.6 cm long, indumentum similar to that on young branches. Leaf blades 4.5-6(-6.5) × 2.5-3.7 cm, ovate to elliptic, membranous; base obtuse to acute; apex acute; margin serrate, teeth obtuse; upper and lower surfaces subglabrous, with some sparse, simple trichomes, mainly on veins; venation actinodromous, basal veins 3, secondary veins 3-5 per side. Stipels absent. Inflorescences spiciform, androgynous, axillary, to 2.5 cm long, mostly female with short male segment; peduncle to 2 mm long, puberulent with simple, short, curved, retrorse trichomes. Female segment densely flowered, to 2 cm long; bracts 12-15, sessile, enlarging in fruit to 2 × 4 mm, reniform, sparsely hairy with simple trichomes and glandular trichomes to 1 mm long; margin dentate, teeth 9-11, broadly triangular, central tooth not prominent; bracteoles absent. Male segment persistent, to 0.2 cm long; flowers glomerate; bracts to 0.5 mm long, oblong-lanceolate, ciliate with simple, erect trichomes to 0.5 mm long. Male flowers: pedicel to 0.5 mm long, glabrous; buds to 0.5 mm diameter, sparsely hairy. Female flowers 1 per bract, sessile; sepals 3, to 0.5 mm long, ovate, ciliate with simple trichomes to 0.5 mm long; ovary c. 1 mm diameter, 3-lobed, smooth, surface densely hispid; styles 3, to 2 mm long, slightly connate at base, glabrous, each divided into 2-3 segments. Allomorphic flowers not seen. Capsules to 3 mm diameter, smooth, sparsely hairy with simple trichomes to 0.5 mm long. Seeds c. 1.5 × 1 mm, pyriform, minutely foveolate.

NOTE

Acalypha lanceolata var. lanceolata occurs in Asia. The main difference between the African var. glandulosa and the Asian var. lanceolata is the presence or absence of stipitate glands. Additional studies are needed to clarify the taxonomic status of these entities.

Figures

FIG. 46. — Mature female bracts: A, Acalypha indica L. (Sagun et al., 2010, Sagun & Risna SR58); B, A. integrifolia Willd. (P. Commerson 655); C, A. isaloensis I.Montero & Cardiel (J.-N. Labat 2119); D, A. lamiana (Leandri) I.Montero & Cardiel (H. J. Lam & A. Meeuse 6727); E, A. lanceolata Willd. var. glandulosa (Müll.Arg.) Radcl.-Sm. (H. Perrier de la Bâthie 9929); F, A. leandrii I.Montero & Cardiel (J. Leandri 2037); G, A. leonii Baill. (L. Gautier LG4003); H, A. lepidopagensis Leandri (H. Perrier de la Bâthie 9726). Illustration by Iris Montero Muñoz. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIG. 43. — Distribution map of Acalypha lanceolata Willd.var. glandulosa (Müll. Arg.) Radcl.-Sm.in Comoros Archipelago,Madagascar and Mascarene Islands.