Ehretia decaryi J.S. Mill., 2002

Miller, James S., 2002, A revision of Ehretia (Boraginaceae) for Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 24 (2), pp. 137-157 : 147-149

3. Ehretia decaryi J.S. Mill. , sp. nov.

Frutex vel arbor parva, ramunculis glabris. Folia decidua, alterna vel in fasciculos ramunculis lateralibus brevibus insidentes disposita; lamina obovata usque oblanceolata, 2-4(-5.8) cm longa, 1-2(-2.8) cm lata, apice obtusa usque rotundata, basi cuneata usque attenuata , margine integra, adaxialiter ut videtur glabra (magnificatione sparsim et minutissime puberula), abaxialiter glabra ; petiolo 5-10 mm longo. Inflorescentiae terminale, cymosae, usque ad 5 cm latae. Flores bisexuales; calyce campanulato, 1.8-2 mm longo, 5-lobo, fere glabro vel granulari-puberulo, margine ciliato. Fructus drupaceus, late-ovoideus, c. 4 mm longus; pyrenis 4, reticulatis.

TYPUS. — Decary 9500, Madagascar, Prov. Toliara, Mahatomotsy, au nord d’Ambovombe , sur les sables, 25 o 05’S, 45 o 55’E, fl., 9 Dec. 1931 (holo-, P!; iso-, MO!, P!) .

Shrub or small tree, the twigs glabrous; leaves alternate or clustered on short lateral branches, deciduous; blades obovate to oblanceolate, the widest point above the middle, 2-4(-5.8) cm long, 1-2(-2.8) cm wide, the apex obtuse to rounded, the base cuneate to attenuate, the mar- gin entire, the adaxial surface appearing glabrous, sparsely and very minutely puberulent (this visible only with magnification), the abaxial surface glabrous or nearly so, sometimes with a few hairs in the axils of the secondary veins, the venation brochidodromous, the midrib even with or slightly raised from the adaxial surface, raised on the abaxial surface, the secondary veins 4-5, the tertiary venation reticulate; petioles 5- 10 mm long, glabrous, narrowly canaliculate on the adaxial surface. Inflorescences terminal, subterminal, or terminal on short lateral branches, cymose, to 5 cm broad, the branches glabrous; flowers bisexual; calyx campanulate, 1.8-2 mm long, the 5 lobes narrowly triangular, 1.3- 1.5 mm long, sharply acute at the apex, nearly glabrous or granular puberulent, ciliate on the margin; corolla white, sometimes tinted pink, 4- 5 mm long, the tube 2-3 mm long, the 5 lobes oblong, 2-4 mm long; stamens 5, prominently exserted, the filaments 4.5-5 mm long, the upper 2.5 mm free, glabrous, the anthers obloid, 1 mm long; ovary ovoid, c. 1 mm long, the style 4-4.5 mm long, shortly bifid, glabrous, the 2 stigmas capitate. Fruits drupaceous, borne in the persistent calyx, color at maturity unknown, broadly ovoid, 4 mm long, 4 mm wide, the endocarp bony, separating into 4 pyrenes at maturity, these 3.5 mm long, 2 mm wide, reticulate on the external surface. — Fig. 5 .

Ehretia decaryi can be distinguished from E. australis , the only other species that occurs at low elevations in extreme southern Madagascar, by its much larger leaves, at least 2 cm long, and its glabrous inflorescence branches. Ehretia decaryi is named in honor of Raymond DECARY who collected extensively in Madagascar from 1916-1944 and who’s collections add so much to our knowledge of southern vegetation.

DISTRIBUTION. — Ehretia decaryi is known only from extreme southern Madagascar (Fig. 3), where it apparently grows on sand at low elevations.

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Provisional IUCN Red List Category: Endangered (EN B1abiiv+B2abi-iv). With an Extent of occurrence of 1,100 sq. km. and an Area of Occupancy of only

500 sq. km. Ehretia decaryi occurs in an area in southern Madagascar where the vegetation is increasingly fragmented. No populations are known from currently protected areas.

PARATYPES. — MADAGASCAR: Bosser 10116, Prov. Toliara, Ambovombe , 25 o 10’S, 46 o 05’E, fl., fr., Oct. 1956 ( P!, TAN!) ; Croat 31696, Prov. Toliara, along road between Ambondro and Ambovombe, 100- 150 m, 25 o 10’S, 46 o 00’E, fr., 18 Feb. 1975 ( MO!, P!) ; Decary 3168, Prov. Toliara, Ambovombe , bord de routes, sable, 25 o 10’S, 46 o 05’E, fl., 19 Oct. 1924 ( MO!, P!) ; Decary 3209; Prov. Toliara, Ampasimpolaka , dist. Ambovombe , terrain calcaire, 25 o 08’S, 46 o 24’E, fl., 7 Oct. 1924 ( P!) ; Decary 3221, Prov. Toliara, Amboasary , dist. Ambovombe , sable, 25 o 02’S, 46 o 23’E, fl., 9 Oct. 1924 ( MO!, P!) ; Decary 8418, Prov. Toliara, Kotoala , Ambovombe , sables et calcaires littoraux, 25 o 23’S, 45 o 50’E, fl., 21 Jan. 1931 ( MO!, P!) .

Figures

Fig. 5. — Ehretia decaryi J.S. Mill.: A, flowering branch; B, flower; C, flower with open corolla. A-C, from Decary 9500 (P).