Aspidostemon parvifolium (Scott-Elliott, 2006) Van der Werff, 2006

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2006, A revision of the Malagasy endemic genus Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter (Lauraceae), Adansonia (3) 28 (1), pp. 7-44 : 37-38

22. Aspidostemon parvifolium

(Scott-Elliott) Van der Werff, comb. nov. ( Figs 13C ; 14B )

Ravensara parvifolia Scott-Elliott , Journal of the Linnean Society 29: 45 (1891). — Agathophyllum parvifolium (Scott-Elliott) Palacký, Catalogus Plantarum Madagascariensium 2: 8 (1907). — Cryptocarya parvifolia (Scott- Elliott) Kosterm., Notulae Systematicae 8: 113 (1939), non Merrill. — Cryptocarya elliottii Kosterm., Flore de Madagascar et des Comores, Fam. 81: 79 (1950). — Type: Madagascar, Fort Dauphin, [25°02’S, 46°59’E], without date, fl., Scott Elliott 3081 (holo-, K).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Vicinioribus Fort-Dauphin, in nemorosis et sabulosis prope Oceanum, fl., Bernardi 11514 ( K) . — Forêt de Petriky , Fort Dauphin, fl., 25°05’S, 46°52’E, Dumetz & McPherson 1098 ( MO, P, TAN, TEF) . — Baie des Galions (Ranofotsy) au Sud- Ouest de Fort-Dauphin, fr., Humbert & Capuron 29006 ( P) . — Petriky , WSW of Fort Dauphin, fr., 25°03’20’’S, 46°53’28’’E, Lowry et al. 5024 ( MO, P) . — Forest of Petriky , Fort Dauphin, fl., 25°05’S, 46°52’E, McPherson et al., 14126 ( MO, P, TAN, TEF) ; McPherson et al. 14266 ( MO, P, TAN, TEF) ; McPherson et al. 14362 ( MO, P, TAN, TEF) . — Forêt de Petriky , 25°04’S, 46°51’E, ster., Rabevohitra et al. 1861 ( MO, P, TAN) . — Fort Daupin , fl., Scott Elliott 3081 ( K) . — Forêt de Vinanibe , près de Fort-Dauphin, [25°03’S, 46°56’E], fl., Service Forestier 20516 ( G, HBG, K, MO, P, TEF) . — Forêt de Vinanibe , près de Fort-Dauphin, [25°03’S, 46°56’E], fl., Service Forestier 27985 ( HBG, MO, P, TEF) .

DESCRIPTION

Trees, to 10 m. Twigs terete, glabrous; terminal buds glabrous. Leaves opposite, 4-6.5 × 1-2.5 cm, elliptic, broadly elliptic or obovate, glabrous, firmly chartaceous, base acute or attenuate, apex obtuse or emarginate, margin flat, cartilaginous, lateral veins not always clearly visible, 5-7; petioles c. 5 mm long, canaliculate. Inflorescences to 2 cm long, glabrous, up to 7-flowered, flowers gradually narrowed into the pedicel. Flowers glabrous, 4 mm in diameter, yellow-green, tepals 2 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, spreading at anthesis; stamens 6, with a short filament, bending outwards at anthesis with the tepals, pubescent at the base, staminodia III columnar, the tips somewhat peltate, arching outward, free, not forming a shield, smaller than the stamens, staminodia IV minuscule, stipitiform, pubescent, hidden between staminodia III; rim of the hypanthium and base of the stamens and staminodia pubescent; pistil and inside of receptacle glabrous. Fruits ellipsoid, 3 × 1.5 cm, smooth, crowned by the floral remnants.

REMARKS

Aspidostemon parvifolium is easily recognized by its rather small leaves with obtuse or emarginated apex, the few-flowered inflorescences and the spreading tepals at anthesis. It is the only species of Aspidostemon with short filaments; all other species have stamens with a broad base. It has only been collected in coastal forest on sand near Fort Dauphin ( Fig. 15 ). Vernacular names have not been recorded.

ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION

5-25 m.

PHENOLOGY

Flowers: October, November, December; fruits: March.

Figures

FIG. 13. — Scanning electron microscope images of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. microphyllum Van der Werff; B, A. occultum Van der Werff; C, A. parvifolium (Scott-Elliott) Van der Werff; D, A. trichandra Van der Werff. A, Schatz & Carlson 2925, MO; B, Service Forestier 28709, MO; C, McPherson 14362, MO; D, Ranirison 528, MO. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIG. 14. — Species of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter: A, A. occultum Van der Werff; B, A. parvifolium (Scott-Elliott) Van der Werff; C, A. percoriaceum (Kosterm.) Rohwer; D, A. perrieri (Danguy) Rohwer. A, Service Forestier 28709, MO; B, McPherson 14362, MO; C, Service Forestier 1983, MO; D, Thouvenot 115, MO.

FIG. 15. — Distribution of Aspidostemon Rohwer & Richter in Madagascar: Ϙ, A. microphyllum Van der Werff; Ϙ, A. parvifolium (Scott-Elliott) Van der Werff; ■, A. percoriaceum (Kosterm.) Rohwer; ▲, A. perrieri (Danguy) Rohwer.