Capparis kenaboiensis Julius, 2022

Julius, Avelinah, 2022, Capparis (Capparaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia, including a new species and two new varieties, PhytoKeys 189, pp. 99-127 : 99

Capparis kenaboiensis Julius sp. nov.

Figures 1 , 2 , 3

Diagnosis.

Vegetatively, this new species resembles Capparis buwaldae Jacobs in having bullate leaves with a long acuminate-caudate apex and distinct reticulation, but C. kenaboiensis differs from C. buwaldae in its terminal (vs. supra-axillary) inflorescences, the absent (vs. present) stem stomata and the smooth (vs. tuberculate) fruit pericarp. The flowers subtended by leaf-like bracts resemble Capparis scortechinii , but are early caducous in the new species.

Type.

Peninsular Malaysia. Negeri Sembilan: Jelebu, Kenaboi FR, Gunung Besar Hantu, road sides towards Lata Kijang, 3°11.42'N, 100°59.21'E, 459 m alt., 4 Mar 2014 (fl., fr.), Julius et al. FRI57784 (holotype KEP!; isotypes K!, SAN!, SING!, L!, A!) .

Description.

Climber 2-8(-12) m long hanging high up on tree. Twigs straight, pubescent when young and soon glabrous. Stipular thorns retrorse, tips 1-2 mm long. Leaves spirally arranged; petioles 8-12 × ca. 1 mm, grooved, slender, not thickened, covered with dense, short, silky white hairs; laminas narrowly elliptic, (5.5-)10-11.5 × (1.5-)3.5-4 cm, chartaceous, bullate, fresh dark green and glossy above, pale green beneath, brownish-green when dry, base acute, margin revolute and entire, apex long acuminate to caudate, with acumen 1-1.5 cm long, glabrous above, hairy beneath, denser on mid-rib and venation; mid-rib sunken above, raised beneath; lateral veins 5-7 pairs, arcuate towards the margin; intercostal veins reticulate, distinct above, prominent beneath. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, racemose, rachis slender and flexuous, conferted towards the top as the buds fall off at bottom part and leave scars, velvety, white hairs throughout; bracts leaf-like, elliptic, 10-25 × 2-5 mm, velvety white hairs on both surfaces, early caducous. Flowers loosely arranged, 10-14, buds globose, 4-5 × 3-5 mm; pedicels 2-2.5 cm long, whitish; sepals 4, thin, cucullate, whitish-green, except reddish at base inside, keeled, 2 pairs, lanceolate, 6-8 × ca. 5 mm, outer pair larger than inner pair, the outer sepals imbricate, covered with dense, white hairs outside, glabrous inside, the inner pair hairy on keel outside, glabrous inside; petals 4, upper pair pinkish and white along margin and laterally connate at base, lower pair whitish-green and free, elliptic ca. 10 × 3 mm, inside densely, silky tomentose hairy, outside glabrous, except densely hairy at base, ciliate along the margin; stamens 18-31, unequal in length, filament whitish, 7-20 mm long, glabrous, except hairy at base, anthers dorsifixed, ca. 1.5 mm long, greenish, apex recurved; ovary ellipsoid, ca. 1.5 mm long, greenish, on gynophore 2-2.5 cm long, stigma obscure. Fruits young green turning brownish to dark purple when ripe, subglobose to pyriform on slender gynophore, 4.5-5 × 5.5-6 cm, pulp pinkish or purplish-red. Seeds 1-4, sarcotesta fleshy, yellowish, testa thin and black.

Distribution.

Endemic in Peninsular Malaysia and known only from the type locality (Fig. 1 ).

Ecology.

Secondary forest margin, in light shade.

Conservation status.

Capparis kenaboiensis is known from a single locality and is very rare with less than ten individuals found in two subpopulations. The species inhabits a secondary forest margin and by a pathway, which are vulnerable to forest clearing pathways as was observed in 2014 during the botanical survey. Moreover, only two sub-populations were observed during a recent visit in 2019. As the area of occupancy is less than 500 km2 and the declining of habitat, this species is assessed as Vulnerable B2ab(iii), following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN 2001, 2012).

Additional specimens examined.

Peninsular Malaysia. Negeri Sembilan: Jelebu, Kenaboi FR, G. Besar Hantu, from Taman Alam Liar towards Trail 1, near pathways, 3°12'N, 100°58'E, 530 m alt., 4 Mar 2014 (fl., fr.), Julius et al. FRI57797 (KEP!); road sides towards Lata Kijang, 3°11.42'N, 100°59.21'E, 459 m alt., 23 May 2019 (fr.), Julius et al. FRI 73545 (KEP!) .

Notes.

Capparis kenaboiensis (Figs 2 , 3 ) is characterised by the flowers, loosely arranged in the raceme with each single flower subtended by a leaf-like bract. Vegetatively, Capparis kenaboiensis resembles C. buwaldae from the Seriales-group, but its short racemose inflorescences subtended by leaves are similar to members of the Subumbellates-Group. Characterised further by the small size of flowers with sepals 6-8 mm long and the plants hairy on young parts, Capparis kenaboiensis is best placed within the Subumbellates-Group ( Jacobs 1965: 412). Further morphological comparison of this new species with other closely related species is as indicated in the Table 1 .

The ripe fruits of this new species are similar to the edible fruits of Capparis buwaldea - the smell is like a mangosteen, but the flesh is tasteless.

Figures

Figure 1. Distribution of Capparis kenaboiensis.

Figure 2. Capparis kenaboiensis Julius, sp. nov. A infructescence branch B inflorescence C flower D flower with sepals and petals removed exhibiting the stamens and ovary on gynophore E stamen F the outermost sepals pair G the dorsal petals H the ventral petals I the cross- and longitudinal-section of fruit J the stipular thorn close-up. (Drawn by Mohamad Aidil Noordin from FRI 57784).

Figure 3. Capparis kenaboiensis Julius, sp. nov. A habitat B fruiting branch C cross-section of fruit (upper left, the cut ripe fruit) D inflorescence E flower, front view F flower, lateral-abaxial view. (Photographs A-D by A. Julius and E-F by K. Imin).