Acalypha lepidopagensis Leandri

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 : 454

28. Acalypha lepidopagensis Leandri

Notulae Systematicae. Herbier du Muséum de Paris. Phanérogramie. Paris 10: 280 ( Leandri 1942). — Type: Madagascar. Prov. Antsiranana, Massif du Tsaratanana, 1000 m, XII.1912, H. Perrier de la Bâthie 9726 (lecto-, designated by Montero Muñoz et al. [2018a: 103]: P[P00513062]; isolecto-, P[P00513063]).

ICONOGRAPHY. — Fig. 46H.

ETYMOLOGY. — The etymology is uncertain.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. — Endemic to Madagascar (Diana). Medium altitude evergreen moist forest. On basement rocks, c. 1000 m altitude ( Fig. 47 ).

PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT. — Acalypha lepidopagensis is only known from the type collection made in the Tsaratanana massif. Its EOO could not be calculated; its AOO is estimated to be 4 km 2. The Tsaratanana massif has been a protected area since 1927 (Réserve Naturelle Intégrale, category I; Dudley 2008). The forests in Tsaratanana have lost 6.3% of the area in the last years. This loss is due to a several pressures, mainly slash-and-burn agriculture and fires related to Cannabis sativa cultivation. The boundaries of the reserve are already lacking natural vegetation ( Goodman et al. 2018). In addition, the fires have increased since 2011, and some of them occur inside the protected area, so the habitat in this reserve continues to be threatened ( Goodman et al. 2018). Moreover, no specimens of this species have been collected for 108 years, so we cannot rule out that this species has become extinct. Due to habitat loss, the restricted geographic range, and the absence of recent collections, A. lepidopagensis is assigned a preliminary conservation status of Critically Endangered: CR B2ab(ii,iii), probably extinct (EX).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 1 collection. Madagascar. Perrier de la Bâthie, H. 9726 (P[P00513062, P00513063]).

REFERENCES. — Leandri (1952); Govaerts et al. (2000: 72); Schatz (2001: 142); Montero Muñoz et al. (2018a: 103).

DESCRIPTION

Shrubs, deciduous, to 5 m tall, monoecious. Branches reddish, pubescent with simple trichomes, glabrescent when mature. Axillary buds ovoid, to 2 × 1.5 mm, perulate, perules 2, imbricate, chartaceous, brownish, pubescent, glabrescent. Stipules to 3 mm long, triangular, midrib blackish, margins scarious, pubescent with simple trichomes. Petioles 2-4.7 cm long, indumentum similar to that on young branches. Leaf blades 7.3-11.5 × 4.5-6.5 cm, ovate-lanceolate, membranous; base rounded to subcordate; apex acute to acuminate, acumen to 10 mm long, rounded; margin serrate, teeth acute; upper surface laxly pubescent with simple, short trichomes, and with curved trichomes on veins; lower surface pubescent with simple, short trichomes and flattened resinous glands; venation actinodromous, basal veins 3 or 5, secondary veins to 5-7 per side. Stipels absent. Inflorescences spiciform, probably unisexual, axillary. Male inflorescences not seen. Female inflorescences laxly flowered, to 3.5 cm long; peduncle to 15 mm long, indumentum similar to that on young branches; bracts 2-3, sessile, enlarging in fruit to 9 × 10 mm, suborbicular, pubescent with simple, short trichomes and some flattened resinous glands at tooth apices; margin dentate, teeth c. 38, triangular, slightly falcate, central tooth slightly prominent; bracteoles to 1 mm long, linear, sparsely pubescent. Male flowers not seen. Female flowers 2 per bract, sessile; sepals 3, to 1 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, sparsely hairy; ovary c. 1 mm diameter, 3-lobed, smooth, surface pubescent with simple trichomes and some flattened resinous glands; styles 3, to 3 mm long, distinct or slightly connate at base, with some simple trichomes. Allomorphic flowers not seen. Capsules not seen. Seeds not seen.

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. 47. — Distribution map of Acalypha lepidopagensis Leandri in Madagascar.