Ocotea sessiliflora Kosterm.

Werff, Henk Van Der, 2013, A revision of the genus Ocotea Aubl. (Lauraceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, Adansonia (3) 35 (2), pp. 235-279 : 267-268

29. Ocotea sessiliflora Kosterm.

( Fig. 6 )

Communication (Pengumuman) of the Forest Research Institute, Indonesia 60: 22 (1957).

— Typus: Madagascar, Forêt de Analamazaotra, près de Perinet , 15.X.1953, fls, Service Forestier (Capuron) 8564 (holo-, P [ P00541620 ]! ; iso-, P [ P00541619 ]!, TEF) .

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Befoza, Périnet , Réserves Naturelles 1444 (MO, P[P01955922, P01955923]) ; Forêt d’Analamazaotra, Périnet , Service Forestier (Capuron) 8564 (P[P00541619, P00541620], TEF) ; Ankazomanitra, PK 45 route Moramanga-Anosibe , forêt sèche, Service Forestier 26806 (MO, P[P00346374]) ; ouest du village d’Antanandava (PK 45 de la route Moramanga-Anosibe ), Service Forestier 28424 (MO, P[P01955921]) .

DISTRIBUTION. — Ocotea sessiliflora is only known from four collections from the Périnet area; altitude not mentioned on any of the collections.

PHENOLOGY. — Flowers collected in July and August.

VERNACULAR NAME. — Varongy fotsy.

DESCRIPTION

Tree,to 20 m tall.Twigs angular,glabrous or somewhat pubescent near the apex; terminal buds appressed pubescent.Leaves alternate,coriaceous, 4-7 × 1.8-3.5 cm, glabrous, base and apex acute, sometimes base obtuse, lateral veins 5-6, these and tertiary venation raised on both surfaces, margin flat or recurved, domatia lacking.Petioles 4-8mm long, glabrous, canaliculate. Inflorescences in axils of deciduous bracts, 3-6 cm long, puberulous-tomentose, especially towards the flowers, bracts subtending flowers present at anthesis, these to 3 mm long, densely pubescent outside, glabrous inside.Tepals more or less erect at anthesis, 6, equal, densely pubescent near base, sparsely on upper ⅔, c. 3 mm long, stamens 9, 4-celled, c. 1.5 mm long, filaments sparsely pubescent, inner three stamens with 2 glands at base of filaments, staminodia 3, stipitiform, 0.8mm long, pubescent; pistil glabrous, 2.5-3 mm long, ovary about as long as the style, receptacle deep,cup-shaped,glabrous inside.Immature fruit enclosed in the cupule (0.5 cm long); young cupule with persistent tepals; bracts still present in young fruiting stage.

REMARKS

Diagnostic for this species is the combination of glabrous leaves with raised reticulation on both surfaces, the sessile flowers with a densely pubescent base and the persistent bracts at the base of the flowers. The bracts persist even in young fruiting stage. It can be readily confused with O. eriothyrsa , but this species had pedicellate (not sessile) flowers, the base of the receptacle pubescent (not glabrous) and has the young twigs more pubescent. Also, in O. sessiliflora the basal lateral veins are frequently more ascending than the more distal ones. Ocotea sessiliflora seems restricted to Périnet, one of the best collected areas in Madagascar and it is therefore surprising that only 4 collections are known from this species.

Figures

FIG. 6. — Distribution of Ocotea brevipes Kosterm. (N), O. fo- veolata Kosterm. (p), O. longipedicellata van der Werff (l) and O. sessiliflora Kosterm. (Ì).