Craterispermum motleyanum De Block & Randriamb., 2015

De Block, Petra & Randriamboavonjy, Tianjanahary, 2015, Three new species of Craterispermum (Rubiaceae) from Madagascar, Phytotaxa 206 (1), pp. 79-89 : 80-83

Craterispermum motleyanum De Block & Randriamb. , sp. nov. Fig. 1 .

Type: — MADAGASCAR. Province Toamasina: near Andasibe, forest of Mantadia, beyond graphite mine, 900 m, 18° 55’ S, 48° 25’ E, 6 November 1994, McPherson & Van der Werff 16525 (holotype MO, isotypes BR, K, TAN).

Resembling C. schweinfurthii Hiern in Oliver (1877: 161) from Continental Africa in inflorescence size and structure (compact cyme) but differing from it by the smaller, more coriaceous, obovate or broadly obovate leaves (1.8–12 x 1–5 cm vs. 5,5–22,3 x 2–7,7 cm) with more prominent higher order venation on both leaf surfaces, a shorter acumen (1–5 mm long vs. 5–12.5 mm long) and a yellowish or golden colour (vs. greenish in C. schweinfurthii ).

Tree, (3–) 5–15 m tall, dbh up to 25(–50) cm, or rarely shrub, 2–4 m tall; vegetative and generative parts glabrous; branches dark brown or brown, somewhat corky; younger branches pale or greenish brown, often with weak decurrent ridge. Stipules 1.5–2.5(–4) mm long, keeled, persistent, awn 0.1–0.3(–0.5) mm long. Leaves petiolate; petioles 0.6–1.8 cm long, canaliculate; leaf blades obovate or broadly obovate, 1.8–12 x 1–5 cm, coriaceous, drying yellowish green or golden brown, often somewhat discolourous with lower surface paler; apex acuminate, acumen 1–5 mm long; base decurrent; margin revolute; midrib prominent on both leaf surfaces, raised below, impressed above; secondary nerves prominent on both surfaces, raised below and above, 6–9 on each side of the midrib; higher order venation prominent on both surfaces, raised below, raised or not raised above, usually paler than leaf blade below (when dry). Inflorescences supra-axillary, attached ca. 1–5 mm above node, or rarely axillary, (3–)4–9-flowered, pedunculate, compact cymes; peduncle stout, laterally compressed, widened distally, 2–14 mm long; inflorescence axes 0–1 mm long; bracts broadly triangular and vaulted, ca. 1.5 mm long, tip acuminate, margin sometimes sparsely beset with colleters. Flowers sessile or subsessile, 5-merous, flower bud rounded; bracteoles broadly ovate or broadly triangular, ca. 1–1.2 x 1.5 mm, tip obtuse to acute or acuminate, margin often sparsely beset with colleters; calyx tube 0.7–1 mm long, inner surface glabrous but groups of colleters present below the sinuses of the calyx lobes; calyx lobes broadly triangular, 0.2–0.8 mm long, inner surface glabrous, tip acute and tipped by colleter, margin often sparsely beset with colleters; corolla white; corolla tube narrowly cylindrical but widening somewhat at the throat, 4–6 mm long, inner surface densely pubescent in upper half and throat; corolla lobes 2.5–4 x 1.2–1.5 mm, inner surface pubescent with long erect hairs at the base, pubescence continuing sparsely along the midrib higher up, tip acute with short adaxial subapical spike-like protuberance, margin somewhat thickened; anthers 1.5–2 mm long; stigmatic lobes 1–1.5 mm long; ovary cup-shaped, 0.7–1 mm long, 2-locular, each locule containing a solitary pendulous ovule. Longistylous flowers: stamens only partly exserted, filaments 0.5–0.7 mm long; style and stigma 7.5–9 mm long, exserted for 2–3 mm from corolla tube. Brevistylous flowers: stamens exserted, filaments 1.5–2 mm long; style and stigma 4–5.5 mm long, included in corolla tube. Fruits sessile or subsessile, subglobose and somewhat asymmetrical, 5–6.5 x 5–6.5 mm, green turning white and then purplish black at maturity, one-seeded; calyx persistent; seed ca. 4–5 x 4 mm.

Etymology: —The species is named in memory of Timothy Motley, whose Pacific-based research led him to study diverse Rubiaceae groups such as Spermacoceae , Retiniphylleae, Guettardeae and Chiococceae.

Distribution: —Only known from the Alaotra-Mangoro and Atsinanana Regions in Eastern Madagascar, mostly near Moramanga. Fig. 4 .

Habitat: —Mid-altitudinal humid forest, sometimes on river banks or near marsh, on sandy soil. Elev.: 850–1050 m.

Phenology: —Flowering: September–December (buds from May onwards); Fruiting: October–May.

Vernacular names: —belavenona, hazomamy, hazomanga, hazombavy, hazondomohina.

Uses: Wood is used for construction, for charcoal and as fire wood.

IUCN status: —Endangered: EN B1ab(i); B2ab (ii,iii). The extend of occurrence (EOO) of C. motleyanum is 1384.38 km 2, and its area of occupancy (AOO) is 52 km 2 using a cell width of 2 km. The species is distributed in five subpopulations, two of which are located in protected areas: Analamazaotra and Zahamena Ankeniheny. Habitat loss outside the protected areas is a serious threat for C. motleyanum . The mining in the Zahamena protected area may affect the subpopulation located in this site.

Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— MADAGASCAR. Province Toamasina: Alaotra-Mangoro, Ambatovy , 1017 m, 18° 47’ 46” S, 48° 20’ 21” E, 26 November 2006, Andriatiana 404 ( BR, MO, P, TAN, TEF) ; Phelps Dodge project site, ca. 15 air-km NE of Moramanga, ca. 11 km E of Antanambao, Ambatovy-South , wetland south (north-east branch), 975 m, 18° 52’ 6” E, 48° 18’ 23” S, 15 February 1997, Andriatsiferana et al. 2149 ( MO) ; environs d’Andasibe ( Périnet ), 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 2–5 November 1984, Barnett & Dorr 145 (K, MO, P, TAN) ; Alaotra-Mangoro, Ambatovy , 978 m, 18° 48’ 30” S, 48° 18’ 51” E, 26 October 2007, Bernard 703 ( BR, MO, P, TAN) ; Périnet , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 1 November 1951, Bosser 2039 ( TAN) ; Périnet , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, October 1951, Bosser 2056 ( P) ; forêt d’Analamazaotra, Périnet , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 2 November 1962, Capuron 22070-SF ( P, TEF) ; vestige de forêt au pk 102 de la route Tananarive-Moramanga, près d’Ankarahara, rive gauche du Mangoro , 18° 57’ S, 48° 14’ E, 22 October 1965, Capuron 24169-SF ( P, TEF) ; Analamazaotra , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 24 October 1937, coll. ignot 3055 ( P) ; Sahamaloto, Périnet , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 13 October 1951, coll. ignot. 4390-SF ( P, TEF) ; Périnet , pk 17, 18° 55’ S, 48° 25’ E, 10 October 1952, coll. ignot. 5780-SF ( P, TEF) ; Moramanga, Antsahatsaka , 18° 58’ S, 48° 17’ E, 27 October 1952, coll. ignot. 6034-SF ( P, TEF) ; Sahamaloto, Périnet , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 15 October 1952, coll. ignot. 6055-SF ( P, TEF) ; canton Périnet, district Moramanga, Analamazaotra , station 4LZ, presqu’île de la station, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, November 1963, coll. ignot. 21543-SF ( P, TEF) ; canton Anosibe Anala, sous-préfecture Anosibe, Analabevakoana , sur la rive droite de la Mahamavo , pk 39 sur route d’Anosibe , 900 m, 19° 26’ S, 48° 27’ E, 5 May 1956, coll. ignot. 25185-SF ( P, TEF) ; canton Anosibe, sous prefecture Anosibe, pk 39 sur route d’Anosibe , 900 m, 19° 26’ S, 48° 27’ E, 4 May 1965, coll. ignot. 25216-SF ( P, TEF) ; canton Anosibe, sous prefecture Anosibe, Bevakoana , Toby , pk 39 sur route d’Anosibe , 900 m, 19° 26’ S, 48° 27’ E, 4 May 1965, coll. ignot. 25280-SF ( TAN) ; Sandrangato, Moramanga , 19° 6’ 30” S, 48° 14’ 30” E, s. dat., Saint-Pierre 354 (as 354-R-212) ( TEF) ; forest ca. 4 km W of Ampitambe, ca. 10 km N of Moramanga , 1050 m, 18° 51’ 34” S, 48° 16’ 42” E, 20 November 1998, Davis, Rakotonasolo & De Block 2198 ( BR, G, K, MO, P, TAN) ; parc à orchidées, Analamazaotra , 890 m, 18° 56’ 11” S, 48° 24’ 47” E, 24 February 1999, De Block & Rakotonasolo 880 ( BR, G, MO, P, TAN) ; Analamazaotra Special Reserve , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 20 January 2006, De Block, Tosh & Rakotonasolo 1869 ( BR, MO, P, TAN) ; station forestière d’Andasibe ( Périnet ), 900 m, 18° 55’ S, 48° 25’ E, 8 December 1989, Evrard 11241 ( BR, P, TAN) ; Andasibe National park, Périnet-Analamazaotra Special Reserve, along trail in the Indri area , 900–950 m, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 28 November 2003, Kårehed, Razafimandimbison & H. Bremer 303 ( MO) ; Analamazaotra , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, August 1925, Louvel 59 ( P) ; forêt d’Analamazaotra , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, s. dat., Perrier de la Bâthie 6910 ( P) ; Analamazaotra , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, October 1932, Perrier de la Bâthie 18899 ( P) ; Ambotrapanga, Périnet , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 7 March 1952, Ratovoarison 100 (as 100-R-172) ( P, TEF) ; Moramanga, Périnet, Menalamba , 18° 53’ S, 48° 23’ E, 10 April 1952, Ratovoarison 125 (as 125-R-172) ( P, TAN) ; Périnet, Moramanga , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 1 December 1947, Ratovoarison 1231-RN ( P, TAN) ; Vatomandry, Ambalabe , Ambinanindrano II, direction du NE de Toby Foara, 19° 9’ 10” S, 48° 35’ 12” E, 22 September 2006, Razanatsima 174 ( BR, K, MO) ; Analamazaotra , 19° 9’ 10” S, 48° 35’ 12” E, s. dat., Thouvenot 26 (K, P, TAN) ; forêt d’Analamazaotra , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 3 December 1934, Ursch 37 ( P) ; near Andasibe, forest of Mantadia , beyond graphite mine, 900 m, 18° 55’ S, 48° 25’ E, 2 November 1994, Van der Werff, McPherson & Rapanarivo 13599 ( BR, MO) ; Andovoranto, district Moramanga, forêt d’Analamazaotra , 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 17 October 1912, Viguier & Humbert 770 ( P).— Locality unknown: s. loc., 1938, Lam & Meeuse 5327 ( P) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Craterispermum motleyanum A. Flowering branch. B. Stipules. C. Detail of higher order venation. D. Inflorescence. E. Ovary and calyx. F. Brevistylous flower with separate style and stigma. G. Longistylous flower. H. Fruit. Drawn by Marijke Meersman. Based on Lam & Meeuse 5327 (A–F), Capuron 22070-SF (E, G) and De Block et al. 880 (H).

FIGURE 4. Distribution map of Craterispermum motleyanum (pentagon), C. puffianum (square) and C. cervicorne (triangle).