Syzygium malaccense ( Linnaeus 1753: 470 ) Merrill & L.M.Perry (1938: 215)

Byng, James W., Barthelat, Fabien, Snow, Neil & Bernardini, Benedetta, 2016, Revision of Eugenia and Syzygium (Myrtaceae) from the Comoros archipelago, Phytotaxa 252 (3), pp. 163-184 : 180-181

7. Syzygium malaccense ( Linnaeus 1753: 470) Merrill & L.M.Perry (1938: 215)

For synonyms see WCSP (2015).

Trees or shrubs, to 10 m. Branchlets terete, 4–8 mm diameter, brownish. Petioles 0.5–1.5 cm, stout. Blades ca. 15–35 × 8–17 cm, elliptic, oblanceolate or obovate; base attenuate or round, apex usually acuminate; secondary vein pairs 8–15; two intramarginal veins present, inner vein ca. 2 mm from the margin, outer vein 0.8–1.3 cm from the margin. Inflorescences ramiflorous from axils of fallen leaves, often in groups of 3 or 4. Flowers ca. 3.5–7.5 cm in diameter at anthesis, pedicel 3–5 mm, pseudostalk 5–7 mm. Hypanthium 13–20 × 7–10 mm, pyriform, reddish-pink. Calyx lobes 3–6 × 5 mm, orbicular. Petals 1–1.5 cm long, free, orbicular. Stamens 1.5–3 cm long, pinkish. Style 2–3 cm long. Fruits ca. 5–7 cm long, subglobose, white to red at maturity.

Specimens examined:— MAYOTTE [ FRANCE]. Tzountzou, 31 November 1990 (fl., fr.), Ménager S-38 (P!). UNION OF THE COMOROS. Grande Comore: Mitsoudje, Nyumbadju, Zineni, sur la piste avant Nyumbadje, 15 November 1999 (fl.), J.-N. Labat 3131 (CNDRS, K!, MO, P!).

8. Syzygium tringiense Byng & N. Snow sp. nov. Type: — UNION OF THE COMOROS. Anjouan: Sommet de Tringi , M. Pignal 3747 (holotype P!; isotypes G!, HKM!, K!, MO!). Figure 10

The species resembles some Syzygium species in Madagascar (e.g. Syzygium emirnense and S. micropodum ) but differs in the combination of fine tertiary venation, suborbicular leaf shape, and subsessile flowers.

Trees to 7 m; bark grey. Branchlets angled and winged when young, dark grey to brown. Petioles 4–8 × 1‒1.5 mm. Leaves coriaceous, blades drying dark greenish brown above, light brown below, dull on both sides. Blades 1.2‒3 × 1‒2.4 cm, suborbicular; base round or sometimes cuneate, apex cuspidate; margin slightly revolute; secondary vein pairs ca. 10‒16, <1 mm apart, more or less prominent below, angle of divergence from mid vein 55–70°; tertiary veins many, fairly prominent and difficult to distinguish from secondary veins; intramarginal vein ca. 1 mm from the margin. Bracts and bracteoles ca. 1 mm long, deltoid, persistent. Inflorescences terminal in clusters of up to 3; cymose, up to 1.5 cm long with angular axes. Flowers 3‒5 mm in diameter at anthesis, buds ca. 3‒5 in diameter, subsessile. Hypanthium 3‒5 × 3‒5 mm, pyriform. Calyx lobes ca. 1 × 1‒1.5 mm, broadly triangular. Petals ca. 3 × 3 mm, calyptrate, orbicular. Stamens 3‒5 mm long,?white; anthers <1 mm long. Style 6‒8 mm. Fruits not seen but label reads green to red when young.

Distribution: — Endemic to Anjouan [ Union of the Comoros].

Habitat and ecology: — High montane forest at ca. 1500 m elev.

Affinities: — The species was collected on the summit of Mont Tringi, where few collections have been made previously. The species is unlike any other in the region. Both the Malagasy species S. micropodum (Baker) Labat & Schatz ( Baker 1883: 143; Labat & Schatz 2002: 203) and S. emirnense (Baker) Labat & Schatz ( Baker 1883: 145; Labat & Schatz 2002: 202) could be confused with the new species, but S. tringiense can be distinguished from both Malagasy species by its many prominent tertiary veins, leaf shape, and leaf size.

Etymology:— The species is named after Mont Tringi on Anjouan, the only known locality.

Conservation status: — Data Deficient (DD). The species is only known from the type locality with little information on the population and its frequency.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Holotype of Syzygium tringiense Byng & N. Snow. M. Pignal 3747. Scale bar = 1 cm.