Noronhia capuronii Bosser

Hong-Wa, Cynthia, 2016, A taxonomic revision of the genus Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars (Oleaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Boissiera 70, pp. 1-292 : 62-63

11. Noronhia capuronii Bosser in Adansonia ser. 2, 13: 464. 1973 ( Fig. 2D ).

Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: rive droite de la rivière des Makis, en aval de la traversée de cette rivière par la piste Joffreville-Andranofanjava , [12°30’S 49°05’E], 21.XI.1958, Service Forestier 20072 (holo-: P [ P00413211 ]!; iso-: K [ K000233198 ] image seen, P [ P00413218 , P00413219 ]!) .

Description

Shrubs to 3 m tall, trunk to 2.5 cm in diam.; young twigs cylindrical, 0.7-1.3 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium gray, smooth to slightly rugose. Leaves opposite, persistent; bud scales, rarely persistent; blades medium green above, lighter below, ovate, 5-15 3 1-4 cm, chartaceous, glabrous, domatia absent, base cordate, margin flat to slightly undulate, apex acuminate, the acumen 7-25 mm long, midrib flat to slightly sunken above, flat to raised below, secondary veins conspicuous, 7-12 per side, 7-14 mm apart, looping 1.5-5 mm from the margin; petiole light gray, 3-8 3 0.8-1.9 mm, entirely woody, pubescent. Thyrses geminate to fasciculate, pauciflorous, diffuse; peduncle 3-8 mm long, moderately pubescent; pedicel 8-12 mm long, moderately pubescent; calyx moderately pubescent outside, glabrous inside, lobes ovate, 1.3 3 1.5 mm; corolla greenish tinged orange to reddish outside, yellowish inside, cupuliform, 6 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 4 mm long, lobes ovate, apex obtuse; corona absent; stamens 3.5 mm long, anthers obovate, 2.5 mm long; pistil 2.5 mm long, stigma capitate to slightly bilobed. Fruiting pedicel 8-13 3 1-2 mm; young fruits yellowish, beige to purple when mature, globose, 15-23 3 15-23 mm, surface smooth, apex flat, style persistent; dry pericarp 0.2-2.6 mm thick; endocarp crustaceous; seed 12 3 13-15 mm.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Noronhia capuronii occurs in low- to mid-elevation dry forests in the north, from Montagne des Français to Ankarana and Daraina ( Fig. 3 ). It produces flowers and fruits from October to June.

Conservation status

With 14 collections representing 14 localities, the assessment resulted in an EOO of 4,885 km 2, an AOO of 52 km 2, and 12 subpopulations representing seven locations, of which five occur within protected areas (Ankarana, Loky-Manambato, Montagne d’Ambre, and Montagne des Français). Noronhia capuronii is assigned a preliminary status of “Vulnerable” [VU B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)], due to continuing decline in AOO, number of both locations and mature individuals, and in habitat quality resulting from deforestation, charcoal production, and illegal and/or artisanal mining.

Notes

Noronhia capuronii can be recognized by its chartaceous, cordate leaf blades, pubescent petiole and midvein, thyrsoid inflorescences with green-orangish flowers and subglobose fruits. It differs from N. jeremii Hong-Wa & Callm. and N. richardii Hong-Wa by its ovate (vs. linear to oblong in N. jeremii and lanceolate to oblong in N. richardii ) leaf blades, pubescent (vs. glabrous) inflorescences and greenish tinged orange (vs. yellowish and red, respectively) flowers.

Additional specimens examined

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Mosorolava, Mahagaga , 12°45’43”S 49°01’48”E, 124 m, 22.IX.2007, Andriamihajarivo et al. 1375 ( G, MO, P, TAN) ; Matsaborimanga , Ankarana RS, 12°55’S 49°03’E, 140 m, 11. I.2003, Bardot-Vaucoulon 1149 ( K, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loc., from Campement des Anglais towards Campement des Américains , 12°50’47”S 49°06’18”E, 82 m, 13. I.2002, De Block 1203 ( BR, MO, NY, P, TAN, UPS, WAG) ; Daraina , forêt de Bobankora, 13°13’26”S 49°45’30”E, 120 m, 4.III.2003, Gautier et al. 4213 (Daraina, G, K, MO, P, TEF) ; Station des Roussettes à Ankazobe , [12°26’S 49°13’E], X. 1944, Homolle 140 ( P) ; Sakaramy, Montagne d’Ambre PN, 12°26’25”S 49°13’49”E, 319 m, 2. VI.2010, Hong-Wa 706 ( MO, P, TAN) ; Daraina , 13°12’S 49°46’E, 200 m, 18.XII.1989, McPherson 14693 ( K, MO, P, TAN) ; Montagne d’Ambre PN, 12°29’11”S 49°10’15”E, 690 m, 20.XII.2011, Ramandimbimanana 194 ( G, MO, TAN) ; Daraina, forêt de Bobankora , 13°12’28”S 49°46’23”E, 65 m, 16.XII.2007, Randrianaivo et al. 1532 ( CNARP, G, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loc., Ankarafa, Antsahabe Nord , 13°13’02”S 49°33’51”E, 550 m, 6.XI.2006, S. Randrianasolo et al. 572 ( CNARP, G, MO, P, TAN) ; ibid. loc., Ankijabe, forêt d’Ambohitsitondroina , 13°08’17”S 49°28’18”E, 200 m, 20. I.2006, Ranirison & Nusbaumer 1101 (Daraina, G, K, MO, TEF) ; Montagne des Français , [12°22’S 49°21’E], 24.IX.1980, Service Forestier 29959 ( TEF) ; Montagne d’Ambre PN, 12°29’14”S 49°10’20”E, 650 m, 4. VI.2008, Trigui et al. 536 ( G, MO, TEF) ; ibid. loc., 12°29’03”S 49°10’03”E, 660 m, 13.X.1993, van Nek 1874 ( MO, P, TAN, WAG)

Figures

Fig. 2. Photographs of Noronhia Stadtm.ex Thouars. A. Noronhia alleizettei Dubard [Hong-Wa 622]; B. Noronhia aminae Hong-Wa [Hong-Wa 555]; C. Noronhia ankaranensis (H. Perrier) Hong-Wa [Hong-Wa 551]; D. Noronhia capuronii Bosser [Trigui 536].

Fig. 3. Distribution maps of species of Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars: N. alleizettei Dubard to N. capuronii Bosser.