— var. minutiflora H. Perrier

Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 18: 268 (1944).

— Type: Perrier de la Bâthie 4540, Madagascar, Mahajanga Prov., bassin supérieur de Bemarivo, affluent de la Sofia, forêt d’Analamaitso, bois des pentes occidentales, vers 1000 m d’altitude, sur gneiss, Sep. 1907, fl. (holo-, P!) .

Trees or shrubs ca. 2-20 m tall. Leaves 2- 6.2 cm long, 1-3 cm wide, with secondary veins more or less parallel; petiole 3-6 mm long, shallowly channeled, slightly pubescent when young, glabrous when older. Inflorescence terminal, 1.5- 4 cm long, pubescent when young, glabrescent when older; bracts 0.5-1 mm long, 0.5 mm wide. Flowers with pedicel 0.5-1.2 mm long, glabrous; calyx lobes 1 mm long, 1 mm wide, very widely ovate; corolla lobes 4-5 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide; staminate flowers with filaments 2 mm long, anthers 1.5-1.8 mm long; disk cupuliform and crenulate, ca. 1 mm in diam.; pistillate flowers with filaments ca. 1 mm long, anthers 0.5- 1 mm long, ovate to subglobose; disk annular and shallowly cup-shaped, 1.5 mm long in diam.; ovary 2 mm long, 1.5 mm broad, funicle more or less long; the single style trifid, slightly curved, latero-subapical, 1.5 mm long. Fruit 0.8-1.2 cm long, 0.6-1.1 cm broad.

HABITAT, DISTRIBUTION AND PHENOLOGY. — Micronychia tsiramiramy var. minutiflora is distributed in the eastern region (HUMBERT 1995), generally in rainforest at low altitude (ca. 100 m) to premontane or montane humid forest up to 1,500 m (Fig. 4). It flowers from May to August and fruits in September-October. However, these periods can fluctuate from one year to another.

VERNACULAR NAMES. — Ditimena, Sandramy mena.

Micronychia tsiramiramy var. minutiflora differs from the typical variety by its small leaf size (2-6.5 cm long, 1-3 cm wide vs. 3-11.5 cm long, 1.8-5.3 cm wide), its short petiole (3-6 mm vs. 3-15 mm long) and its widely ovate and small sepals (1 mm long, 1 mm wide vs. 1.5-2.5 mm long, 1.8-2.5 mm wide).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED. — MADAGASCAR: Exposition coloniale de Marseille S.N., without precise locality, fr. (P) ; Lewis 561, Antananarivo Prov., high plateau, 16 km NNE of Anjozorobe, montane forest on southern slopes of Mt. Tsimanahirivotra, 1350 m, 24 Aug. 1993, fl. (P) ; Floret 1952, Toliara Prov., Fort-Dauphin: RNI n° 11 Andohahela, 22 km N d’Ifarantosoa, forêt dense humide secondarisée, bords de la piste Ranomanala Sud, 24°47’S, 46°52’E, 120 m, 28 Apr. 1958, fl. (MO, P, TAN) ; Kotozafy et al. 187, Fianarantsoa Prov., Parc National Ranomafana, parcelle n° 1, à l’est du village Vohiparara, 21°14’S, 47°23’E, 24-25 Aug. 1993, fl. (MO, P, TAN) ; Kotozafy et al. 247, Fianarantsoa Prov., Parc National Ranomafana, parcelle n° 2, Maranony, au Sud d’Ambohimiera, 21°04’S, 47°29’E, 880-1100 m, 18-20 Sep. 1993, fl. (MO, P, TAN) ; Louvel 89, Toamasina Prov., Moramanga: Analamazaotra, Aug. 1924, fl. (P) ; Malcomber 1068, Fianarantsoa prov., Ifanadiana: between Fianarantsoa and Ifanadiana, route nationale 45, Parc National Ranomafana, trail S from Cabine de recherche to Vato camp used by primatologist, primary tropical forest canopy, 20-30 m, 21°15’S, 47°27’E, 1100 m, 11- 15 Nov. 1991, fr. (MO, P, TAN) ; Malcomber et al. 1596, Fianarantsoa prov., Ranomafana National Parc, parcelle I, near village of Miaramony, Anosimasina, 21°09’S, 47°32’E, 600-900 m, 19-21 Sep. 1992, fl. (MO, P, TAN) ; Perrier de la Bâthie 14888, Toamasina Prov., forêt d’Analamazaotra, Oct. 1922, fl. (P) ; Rakotozafy et al. 2669, Antananarivo Prov., Anjozorobe: forest near Anjozorobe, 18°26’30’S, 47°50’30’E, 1400 m, 31 Aug. 1991, fl. (MO-2 sheets, P, TAN) ; Rakotozafy et al. 2686, Antananarivo Prov., forest near Anjozorobe, forest margin, 18°26’30’S, 47°50’30’E, 1400 m, 1 Sep. 1991, fl. (MO-2 sheets, P, TAN) ; Rakotozafy et al. 2718, 2726, Antananarivo Prov., forest near Anjozorobe, southern boundary, 18°26’30’S, 47°50’30’E, 1400 m, 2 Sep. 1991, fl. (MO-2 sheets, P, TAN) ; Rakotozafy et al. 2739, Antananarivo Prov., forest near Anjozorobe, 18°26’30’S, 47°50’30’E, 1400 m, 3 Sep. 1991, fr. (MO-2 sheets, P, TAN) ; Randriamampionona 484, Toliara Prov., RNI n° 11, Andohahela, Parcelle 1, Isaka Ivondro, 24°40’S, 46°52’E, 100-500 m, 12-23 June 1993, fr. (P) ; Randriambololona et al. 10, Toamasina Prov., Parc National de Mantady, à 14 km des mines des Graphites, sur le côté du sentier, forêt humide, 18°56’S, 48°26’E, 960 m, 27 Oct. 1993, fr. (MO, P, TAN) ; Randrianasolo 502, Fianarantsoa Prov., Parc Ranomafana, 4 km N of Vohiparara, E of Bridge, along the trail going to parcelle n° 3, 9 Oct. 1996, fr. (MO, P, TAN) ; Rakoto 233, Fianarantsoa Prov., Est de Fianaranatsoa, Parc National de Ranomafana, parcelle n° 3, Talatakely, 21°16’S, 47°25’E, 800-1000 m, 3 Sep. 1992, fl. (MO, P, TAN) ; RN 7824 (Botoalina), Nonokambo, 15 Aug. 1955, fl. (P); SF 1697, Toamasina Prov., Ambatondrazaka, fl. (P) ; SF 5814, Sahamaloto-Périnet, 12 Sep. 1952, fl. (P); SF 15149, Antananarivo Prov., Vohitrilongo, Manakasina, canton Betatao, 26 Aug. 1955, fl. (P) ; SF 16008 (Capuron), Antananarivo Prov., Ankazobe: jardin Botanique n° 3, Ambohitantely, Manankazo, Canton Maharidaza, 22 June 1955, fl. (P) ; SF 16821 (Capuron), Antananarivo Prov., Manankazo, jardin botanique n° B1, 26 June 1955, fl. (P) ; SF 18005-18020 (Capuron), Antananarivo Prov., forêt d’Ambohitantely, sur le Tamponketsa d’Ankazobe, au Nord de Tananarive, 1600 m, July 1957, fl. (P) ; SF 18736 (Capuron), Toamasina Prov., vallée de la Voromahery, à l’Est de Nosivolo, Canton Manakambahiny-Est, limite Ouest de la RNI n° 3 Zahamena, 27 Aug. 1958, fl. (P-2 sheets) ; SF 18742 (Capuron), Toamasina Prov., restes de forêt, dans la vallée de la Saharahara, entre Manakambahiny-Est et Nonokambo, Ouest de la RNI n° 3 Zahamena, 28 Aug. 1958, fl. (P) ; SF 18756 (Capuron), Toamasina Prov., Ambatondrazaka: forêt d’Andranovakoana, à l’Ouest de Manohilahy (Canton d’Amparafaravola, 1100-1300 m, 30 Aug. 1958, fl. (P).