Beilschmiedia atra Kosterm. ex de Kok, 2016

de kok, R. P. J., 2016, A revision of Beilschmiedia (Lauraceae) of Peninsular Malaysia, Blumea 61 (2), pp. 147-164 : 149-151

1. Beilschmiedia atra Kosterm. ex de Kok , sp. nov. — Fig. 1 ; Map 1

Beilschmiedia atra differs from B. madang in having smaller leaves (blades 8.5–10 by 3–5.5 cm vs 13–22 by 4.6–12 cm), with a cuneate vs usually rounded base.The petiole is generally shorter ( 9–15 mm vs 9.5–30 mm) and bracteoles are on averaged much shorter per specimen ( 0.7–1.7 mm long vs 0.6–7 mm long). — Type: Corner SFN 29423 ( holotype K [ K001098083 ]; isotypes K [ K001098082 ], SING 2 sheets), Peninsular Malaysia, Johor, Mawai-Jemaluang Road .

Trees. Twigs slender, 2.3–3 mm diam, round in cross-section, velutinous when young, some glabrescent, smooth; terminal leaf buds lanceolate, 3–4 mm long, velutinous; hairs short, curly, erect to appressed, reddish brown. Leaves alternate, blades elliptic to lanceolate, 8.5–10 by 3–5.5 cm, leathery; apex acute to acuminate, often with a distinct tip; base cuneate, often asymmetric; margins recurved; secondary veins 6–7 pairs, tertiary veins reticulate; upper surface glabrous, drying dark brown, midrib sunken, glabrous, secondary veins sunken, tertiary veins inconspicuous; lower surface sparsely hairy, midrib raised, velutinous, secondary veins raised, tertiary veins distinct. Petiole 9–15 mm long, slender, half terete, velutinous when young, sometimes glabrescent. Inflorescence 23–50 mm long, densely hairy, not enclosed at base by bracts; bracteoles lanceolate, 0.7–1.7 mm long, apex acute, persistent. Flowers: perianth tube not distinct; perianth lobes elliptic to orbicular, 1.3–1.6 by 0.8–1.5 mm, sparsely to densely hairy, margin not ciliate, apices acute. Stamens 9, 1–1.2 mm long, filaments slightly longer than anthers, not exceeding the perianth lobes; anthers glabrous, obtuse at apex. Ovary c. 1.5 mm diam, glabrous; style c. 0.5 mm long. Fruit unknown.

Distribution — Endemic to Johor and Pahang (Peninsular Malaysia).

Ecology — Growing at low altitudes, sometimes in swamps.

IUCN Conservation Assessment — This species has been collected only four times, all between 1901 and 1936, at low altitude in Johor and Pahang States. An analysis of the EOO gives a conservation assessment of Vulnerable, but an analysis of the AOO gives the assessment of Endangered. Given the intensive logging and landscape modification that has occurred since 1936, the time that has elapsed since the last collection was made and the fact that it is only recorded from the lowlands, this species must be considered extinct .

Phenology — Flowering: March to May (October); fruiting: times unknown.

Notes — This species has not been described before nor its name validly published. Kostermans named specimens in various herbaria as Beilschmiedia atra , from at least 1962 on- wards. However, I could find no publication where he officially described this species, illustrating a common phenomenon with this author. The name has also been used by some other botanists and occurs in various databases. I therefore validate this name here.

This species is morphologically similar to the Bornean endemic B. murutensis Kosterm. , but the later has ovoid terminal leaf buds and shorter leaves. It also seems to be similar to B. brachystachys Kosterm. , which differs in having terminal leaf buds which are narrowly ovoid with long erect hairs and leaves that are pubescent along the midrib on the upper surface (see Nishida 2008).

Figures

Map 1 Distribution of Beilschmiedia atra (●), B. dictyoneura (▲) and B. glabra (▼). Map based on a map provided by d-maps.com.

Fig. 1 Beilschmiedia atra Kosterm. ex de Kok. a. Habit; b. detail of midrib on upper surface of leaf at base; c. indumentum on lower leaf surface; d. terminal leaf bud; e. bracteoles on the inflorescence; f. detail of inflorescence; g. flower; h. stamen of the inner whorl; i. ovary (from Corner SFN 29423, a–d from isotype; e–i from holotype). — Scale bars: a, e = 3 cm; b–d, f = 5 mm; g–i = 1 mm. — Drawings by Juliet Beentje.