Lepidocupania arcuata (Radlk.) Buerki, Callm., Munzinger & Lowry, 2020

Buerki, Sven, Munzinger, Jérôme, Lowry Ii, Porter P. & Callmander, Martin W., 2020, Two new genera of Sapindaceae (Cupanieae) from the southern Pacific: Lepidocupania and Neoarytera, Candollea 75 (2), pp. 269-284 : 274

Lepidocupania arcuata (Radlk.) Buerki, Callm., Munzinger & Lowry , comb. nov.

≡ Arytera arcuata Radlk. in Sitzungsber. Math.-Phys. CI. Konigl. Bayer. Akad. Wiss. Munich 9: 554. 1879.

Lectotypus (designated by TURNER, 1995: 158): NEW CALEDONIA. Prov. Sud: Nouméa, X.1868, Balansa 150 ( M [ M0225363 ]!; isolecto-: FI [FI010518]!, NY [ NY00038712 , NY00038713 ]!, P [ P00205443 , P00205444 ]!) .

Distribution and ecology. – According to TURNER’s (1995) concept, Lepidocupania arcuata is endemic to the New Caledonian archipelago, where it occurs from sea level to 200 m, predominantly on calcareous soils (Loyalty Islands, Ile des Pins), but also on sand, clay and schist. It is found in mesophyll and sclerophyll forest and scrub.

Notes. – Additional taxonomic analyses are required, especially with regard to material from the Loyalty Islands, which exhibits very peculiar indument compared to that from the main island of New Caledonia [Grande Terre]. Moreover, TURNER (1995) tentatively identified a specimen from Tonga (Parks 16317: L 0468503) as L. arcuata , which, if confirmed, would significantly expand the geographic range of this species.