Asketanthera picardae (Urb.) Woodson

Morales, J. Francisco, 2018, Studies in Neotropical Apocynaceae LIV: a synopsis of Asketanthera, Candollea 73 (1), pp. 7-17 : 13-15

4. Asketanthera picardae (Urb.) Woodson in Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 19: 47. 1932 ( Fig. 3 , 5 ).

Ξ Echites picardae Urb., Symb. Antill. 5: 466. 1908.

Holotypus: HAITI. Dept. Ouest: mountain near Pétionville, 400 m, 17.VII.1891, fl., Picarda 804 ( B †) .

Neotypus (designated here): HAITI. Dept. of Nippes: Pte. Riviére des Nippes, mountain in Bellevue, 16.VII.1927, fl., Ekman 8590 ( S [ S-PL-23930 ]!; isoneo -: US [ US00783151 ]!).

Branchlets moderately to densely puberulent; interpetiolar colleters up to 1.2 mm long. Petioles 4-10 mm long; leaf blades 6.5-14.5 × 3.6-8.3 cm, elliptic to ovate-elliptic, the apex acuminate, the base acute to attenuate, sparsely strigulose on both surfaces, sometimes glabrate, secondary veins slightly impressed on both surfaces. Inflorescence densely to moderately puberulent, 8-20-flowered, peduncle 4-15 mm long, pedicels 6-13 mm long, bracts 12-25 × 5-7.5 mm, elliptic to ovate-elliptic; sepals 13-20 × 3.3-7 mm, narrowly elliptic, ovate-elliptic to ovate, the apex narrowly acuminate, sparsely puberulent to glabrate externally, the colleter irregularly erose at the apex. Corolla greenish yellow, sparsely hirsutulous externally, sometimes glabrate, tube 11-15 × 2.1-4.1 mm, inflated around the stamens, 2.1-2.3 mm diam. at the orifice; lobes 9-15 × 4-5.5 mm, obliquely ovate-elliptic; stamens inserted about midway inthe tube, anthers 5.5-6 mm long, the auricles acute, style-head 1-1.2 mm long; ovary 1.9-2.1 mm long, glabrous; nectaries c. one-half to one-third of the ovary length, entire. Follicles 32-47 cm × 3-5.5 mm, free, minutely and sparsely puberulent, continuous; seeds 14-17 mm, sparsely puberulent, coma 2.5-5 cm, cream coloured.

[A-E: Zanoni & Mejía 16561, MO; F: Ekman 2426, US] [Drawings: J. F. Morales]

Distribution, habitat and phenology. – Endemic to Haiti, growing in gallery forest and vegetation over limestone formations from 200- 700 m. Flowering from June to November and fruiting in December and January.

Conservation status. – Asketanthera picardae is known from eight locations (all outside of protected areas) and has an AOO of 27,071 km 2. Given the severe loss of forest predominant in Haiti and the fragmented and continuing decline of its habitat, A. picardae is provisionally assessed as “Endangered” [EN B2a biii] following IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN, 2012).

Notes. – Asketanthera picardae is distinguished by its petioles 4-10 mm, 8-20-flowered inflorescences, peduncles 4-15 mm, corolla tube 11-15 mm, and corolla lobes 9-15 mm long. The type of Echites picardae (Picarda 804, B) was destroyed in 1943 and no additional duplicates are known. Ekman 8590 is designated here as a neotype, because it is well preserved and matches the original description. The collection is also represented in two herbaria in two different continents.

Specimens examined. – HAITI. Dept. Artibonite: montañas de Terre-Neuve, Hab. Descortiéres , 10.X.1925, fl., Ekman 5053 ( CR, S); Les Gonaives, between Bassin and Memé, 24.XII.1927, fr., Ekman 9460 ( S). Dept. Nord: Cerca de Bel Endroit , 9.VIII.1917, fl., Ekman 659 ( K, S). Dept. Grand´Anse: Massif de la Hotte, Acquin , La Colina , Morne des Abricots , 9.XI.1926, fl., Ekman 7191 ( NY, S). Dept. Nippes: Massif de la Hotte, Miragoane , S of Etang-Miragoane, 28.VII.1926, fl., Ekman 6536 ( S); around Miragoane, 19.VII.1927, fl., Eyerdam 151 ( US). Dept. Sud: Le Tiburón, 2.IX.1910, fl., Christ 2279 ( NY); Changieux, 29.VI.1980, fl., Sastre & Polynice 7178 ( CR, P).

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Prov. Barahona: c. 2 km arriba de la boca del río Baoruco, Los Morrones , 18.I.1982, fr., Zanoni et al. 18829 ( CR, NY).

SINE LOCO: fl., Richard s.n. ( P).

Figures

Fig. 3. – Distribution map of the four accepted species in Asketanthera Woodson.

Fig. 5. – Asketanthera picardae (Urb.) Woodson.A. Habit; B. Adaxial view of one sepal, showing the colleter at the base; C. Corolla bud;D. Anther, dorsal view; E. Style-head, nectaries, and ovary; F. Follicles; G. Seed. [A: Eyerdam 151, US; B-E: Ekman 5053, S; F-G: Ekman 9460, S] [Drawings:J.F. Morales]