Cyrtandra tenuicarpa H.J.Atkins

Atkins, H. J. & Kartonegoro, A., 2021, A TAXONOMIC REVISION OF CYRTANDRA (GESNERIACEAE) IN SULAWESI, INDONESIA, Edinburgh Journal of Botany 78 (364), pp. 1-122 : 111-113

38. Cyrtandra tenuicarpa H.J.Atkins , Edinburgh J. Bot. 60(3): 316 (2004).

– Type: Indonesia, Sulawesi, Road between Palopo and Rantepao, 3 iii 2000, Mendum et al. 00229 (holotype BO, isotype E). Figure 56 .

Branching herb to 1.2 m in height. Stems striate, sparsely hairy, more densely so when young. Leaves opposite, both in each pair well developed but somewhat unequal; petiole 4–8 mm long, hairy; blades (6–)8–14 × 3–6 cm, elliptic, base acute and strongly asymmetrical, margin subentire to minutely serrulate, apex acuminate; 10–12 pairs of lateral veins curving upwards, sparsely hairy above and below, more densely so on midrib and veins. Inflorescences axillary, pedunculate and pendulous, 3- to 5-flowered; bracts 1–2 mm long, ovate, hairy to densely hairy; peduncles 35–80 mm long, sparsely hairy, slender (c. 0.5 mm in diameter); pedicels 7–15(–30) mm long. Calyx pale green, 4–5 mm long, slightly bilabiate, 5-lobed, lobes triangular, acuminate, 2–3 mm long, sparsely hairy externally. Corolla white, 15–16 mm long, narrow below, widening to mouth apically, lower lobe larger than others c.5 × 3 mm, other lobes smaller, somewhat recurved, c.2 × 2 mm, glandular hairy externally. Stamens with filaments 4–5 mm long, attached c. 10 mm from base of corolla; anthers c. 1 mm long, not cohering at apices before dehiscence; staminodes 3, less than c. 1.5 mm long. Gynoecium 14–15 mm long; disc cupular, undulate, 1 mm long, glabrous; ovary and style glandular hairy; stigma bilobed, lobes vertical and pressed together, oblong, c. 1 mm long. Fruits narrowly cylindrical, 25–35 × 1.5–2 mm, green when young, glabrous except for glandular hairs on persistent style, calyx sometimes persistent.

Distribution. Central, West and South Sulawesi (see Figure 58 ).

Habitat and ecology. Upland and montane forest at an altitude of 800–1642 m.

Etymology. This species is named for its distinctive, narrow fruits ( Atkins, 2004).

Proposed IUCN conservation category. The EOO of this species is 314 km 2 and the AOO is 12 km 2, based on a 2 × 2 km grid cell size ( Bachman et al., 2011). It has not been possible to trace the exact locality of Rachmat 573 (BO), so the EOO and AOO are based on three of the four known collections. Satellite imagery shows habitat degradation and land conversion in the georeferenced collection localities, and the species has not been recorded from any protected areas (UNEP-WCMC & IUCN, 2019). Cyrtandra tenuicarpa is therefore assessed as Endangered (EN), B1ab(iii) + 2ab(iii).

Additional specimens examined. INDONESIA. West Sulawesi. Mamasa: Mt Gandang Dewata , 20 iv 2016, Kartonegoro, Ardiyani, Santoso & Wulansari ARK 902 ( BO, E) .

South Sulawesi. North Luwu: Tojambu , 800 m, 20 vi 1929, Kjellberg 1686 ( BO, S) .

Sulawesi. Mt Timbaang , 1913, Rachmat 573 ( BO) .

Cyrtandra tenuicarpa is distinctive in Sulawesi, and identified most easily by its very narrow fruits. This is a character much more commonly seen in Borneo, in species such as Cyrtandra bullifolia B.L.Burtt. , C. dallasensis B.L.Burtt and C. elmeri Merr.

A note on the Kartonegoro et al. ARK902 collection from West Sulawesi states that it is used as a medicine to treat fever.

Figures

Figure 56. Cyrtandra tenuicarpa. a, Habit; b, opened corolla, showing position of stamens and staminodes; c, opened calyx, showing inner surface; d, gynoecium including disc. Drawn by Christina Oliver from Mendum et al. 00229. Reproduced from Atkins (2004) with the permission of the Trustees of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

Figure 58. Distribution of Cyrtandra sulcata (black squares), C. tenuicarpa (black triangles) and C. widjajae (white circles).