Acalypha levinii I.Montero & Cardiel, 2503

Muñoz, Iris Montero, Levin, Geoffrey A. & Cardiel, José María, 2023, Monograph of Acalypha L. (Euphorbiaceae) of the Western Indian Ocean Region, with the description of a new species from Mayotte, Adansonia (3) 45 (26), pp. 395-496 : 457

30. Acalypha levinii I.Montero & Cardiel

South African Journal of Botany 146: 638 ( Montero Muñoz et al. 2022). — Type: Madagascar. Haute Matsiatra region (Fianarantsoa prov.), Parc d’Ánja Community Reserve , E of RN7, c. 9.5 km of Ambalavao , 990 m, 21°51’7.5”S, 46°50’43.1”E, 29.XI.2012, L. J. Gillespie, G. A. Levin & J. Razanatsoa 19809 (holo-, CAN). — Paratypes: Madagascar. Haute Matsiatra region (Fianarantsoa prov.), Haute Matsiatra, Parc d’Ánja Community Reserve , E of RN7, c. 9.5 km of Ambalavao, 990 m, 21°51’6.1”S, 46°50’43.7”E, 29.XI.2012, L. J. Gillespie, G. A. Levin & J.Razanatsoa 19808 ( CAN); Atsimo-Andrefana region (Toliara prov.), Beza Mahafaly Reserve , near Betioky, parcelle 1, Along the Sakamena river bank, 140 m, 23°38’60”S, 44°32’60”E, 2.XI.1987, P.B. Phillipson 2503 (K, MO, US, WAG); Plateau calcaire au N de la basse vallée du Fiherenana, 200-300 m, I.1947, H. Humbert 19866 (P[P00324585]) .

ICONOGRAPHY. — Montero Muñoz et al. (2022); Fig. 57B.

ETYMOLOGY. — The epithet honors Dr. Geoffrey A. Levin, codirector of the first author’s PhD dissertation. He has published many articles about Acalypha and contributed to the knowledge of this genus worldwide.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. — Endemic to Madagascar (Atsimo-Andrefana and Haute Matsiatra). Degraded sclerophyllous woodland. On basement rocks and sandstone. Altitudinal range 140-990 m ( Fig. 49 ).

PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT. — Acalypha levinii is known from four collections from different localities. Its EOO is estimated to be 12 578 km 2 and its AOO 16 km 2, which is less than the 500 km 2 threshold of the B2 subcriterion of the Endangered category. This species grows in sclerophyllous woodlands in the highlands (see assessment of A. leptomyura ). This species was collected in degraded forests and in both protected (community reserve and national reserve) and unprotected areas. Even in the reserves, the habitat of this species is subject to various threats (uncontrolled fires for grazing and crops), so ongoing habitat loss and degradation will cause continued decline of its EOO and AOO. Acalypha levinii is assessed as Endangered (EN): EN B2ab(ii,iii,iv).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 4 collections. Madagascar: Gillespie, L. 10808 ( CAN), 10809 ( CAN); Humbert , H. 19866 (P[P00324585]); Phillipson, P.B. 2503 (K, MO, US[US01287331], WAG[WAG.1578523]).

DESCRIPTION

Shrubs, deciduous, to 2 m tall,divaricately branched,monoecious. Branches red-tinged, densely pubescent with simple, curved, antrorse trichomes, glabrescent when mature. Axillary buds spherical, to 1 mm diameter, perulate, perules 2, overlapping (superposed), membranous, brownish, sparsely hairy. Stipules to 4 mm long, lanceolate, apex acute, pubescent with simple, appressed trichomes. Petioles 1.5-3(-4) cm long, indumentum similar to that on young branches. Leaf blades (3.5-)4-6.5 × 2-3.3 cm, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, membranous; base rounded to subcordate; apex slightly acuminate, acumen 10 mm long, rounded to subacute, mucronate; margin serrate to crenate, teeth subrounded, slightly reddish, callose-edged; upper surface laxly pubescent with simple, erect trichomes and subsessile reddish glandular trichomes; lower surface indumentum similar to that on upper surface but denser, axils of secondary veins with hair-tuft domatia; venation actinodromous, basal veins 3, secondary veins 5-6 per side. Stipels filiform, to 0.3 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescences spiciform, androgynous, and solitary female bracts, mainly axillary, some androgynous inflorescences terminal. Androgynous inflorescences to 4 cm long, mostly male with short female segment; subsessile,peduncle to 0.3 mm long; rachis indumentum similar to that on petiole. Female segment to 2.5 cm long; bracts 1-4, sessile to slightly petiolate, enlarging in fruit to 10 × 12 mm, oblate to suborbicular, indumentum similar to that on leaves and ciliate, glabrescent; margin dentate, teeth c. 15, rounded, callose-edged, slightly reddish, central tooth not prominent; bracteoles absent. Male segment persistent, to 2 cm long; flowers glomerate; bracts to 0.5 mm long, lanceolate, sparsely hairy. Solitary female bracts sessile, similar to those of androgynous inflorescences. Male flowers: pedicel to 0.5 mm long, sparsely hairy;buds to 0.8 mm diameter,sparsely hairy, papillose. Female flowers 1 per bract, sessile; sepals 3, to 0.5 mm long, triangular, sparsely hairy; ovary c. 1 mm diameter, 3-lobed, apparently smooth, surface hispid with simple, erect trichomes to 1 mm long; styles 3, to 4 mm long, slightly connate at base, sparsely hairy, each divided into c. 12 segments. Allomorphic flowers sometimes present at inflorescence apex; pedicel filiform, to 12 mm long, sparsely hairy; sepals 3, similar to those of normal flowers; ovary 1-lobed, to 1 mm diameter, hispid with simple, erect trichomes to 1 mm long; style 1, to 6 mm long, sparsely hairy. Capsules to 2.5 mm diameter, papillose-hispid, papillae rounded, surface densely pubescent with simple trichomes. Seeds c. 1.8 × 1.5 mm, subglobose, foveolate.

Figures

FIG. 57. — Mature female bracts: A, Acalypha leptomyura Baill. (J.-N. Labat & T. Deroin 2320); B, A. levinii I.Montero & Cardiel (L. Gillespie 10809); C, A. linearifolia Leandri (G. Cours 4638); D, A. magistri I.Montero & Cardiel (D. Ravelonarivo 273); E, A. mayottensis I.Montero & Cardiel (J.-N. Labat, F. Barthelat, C.M. Hladik & A.B. Sifary 3272); F, A. medibracteata Radcl.-Sm. & Govaerts (R. Decary 16103); G, A. menavody (Leandri) I.Montero & Cardiel (M. Bardot-Vaucoulon 1016); H, A. nusbaumeri I.Montero & Cardiel (L. Nusbaumer LN1169). Illustration by Iris Montero Muñoz. Scale bars: A, C, D, F, H, 1 mm; B, E, G, 2 mm.

FIG. 49. — Distribution map of Acalypha levinii I.Montero & Cardiel in Madagascar.