Mendoncia kely Magnaghi, Novon

Magnaghi, Emily B. & Daniel, Thomas F., 2017, Systematics of Mendoncia (Acanthaceae: Thunbergioideae) in the Paleotropics, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (3), pp. 37-94 : 79-80

7. Mendoncia kely Magnaghi, Novon 23:191. 2014.

TYPE.— MADAGASCAR. Antsiranana: contreforts occidentaux du massif de Marojejy (NE) près du col de Doanyanala (limite des bassins de la Lokoho et de l’Andraronga), N d’Andapa , [ca. 14°32ʹ47ʺS, 049°40ʹ6ʺE], 800–1200 m, 25 Jan–25 Feb 1949, Humbert 23067 (holotype: P-00493688 !; isotypes: K!, MO!) .

Young stems evenly and densely pubescent with yellowish to golden-brown, retrorse to flexuous to erect, unbranched, eglandular trichomes 0.1– 1 mm long. Leaves subcoriaceous, petioles to 18 mm long, pubescent like young stems, blades subdeltate to ovate to elliptic to subcircular, 26– 75 mm long, 18–45 mm wide, truncate to rounded to subcordate at base, (retuse to) acute to acuminate to abruptly acuminate at apex, abaxial surface mealy-glandular and pubescent like young stems, except trichomes to 1.5 mm long and often denser on major veins, adaxial surface more sparsely (often denser on major veins) pubescent with mostly antrorse trichomes to 1 mm long, trichomes often with a prominently pustulate base. Inflorescences borne in leaf axils on young, mostly herbaceous, and leafy stems, solitary or opposite at nodes, dichasia 1–5 per axil, peduncles to 30 mm long, pubescent like young stems, except trichomes mostly erect to flexuose and up to 1.5 mm long. Bracteoles green to greenish-white, deciduous in fruit, (ovate-elliptic to) elliptic to subcircular, (4–) 6.2–15. 6 mm long, 3–13 mm wide, rounded at base, rounded to rounded- (to truncate-) apiculate (to subacuminate) at apex, apicule 0.1– 0.3 mm long, abaxial surface densely pubescent with yellowish to golden-brown, erect to flexuose, unbranched, eglandular trichomes to 1.7 mm long and mealy-glandular, adaxial surface mealy-glandular. Calyx densely pubescent with erect to flexuous, yellowish to golden-brown, unbranched, eglandular trichomes to 1 mm long. Corolla pink at base, white at apex, and otherwise white with purple markings or purple with white markings, 13. 2–19 mm long, externally glabrous to mealy-glandular, internally glabrous to mealy-glandular (prominently so at and proximal to region of insertion of stamens) and with a patch of stipitate glandular trichomes to 0.5 mm long at base of lower lip and in throat, tube 10–14 mm long, limb 9.3–16. 4 mm in diameter, upper lip 4. 7–8 mm long with rounded lobes 3.6– 6.5 mm long and 3–6 mm wide, lower lip 6. 5–9 mm long with rounded lobes 3.5–7. 2 mm long and 4. 4–8 mm wide. Stamens 4–5 mm long, ventral pair inserted 0.8– 1 mm distal to dorsal pair, filaments (and adjacent corolla tube) mealy-glandular, thecae 3.3– 3.5 mm long, pubescent at base with a tuft of bristles 0.1– 0.3 mm long, these extending towards apex of thecae, connective extending 0.2 mm beyond thecae, extension of connective triangular, glabrous, staminode not seen. Pollen 5- or 6-colpate [?], E = 27 µm, P = 28 µm, P:E = 1.03, C = 7.8– 8.7 µm, C: P = 0.283–0.314, rugulae smooth. Style 9– 9.8 mm long, glabrous, stigma asymmetrically subcapitate to subequally 2-lobed, lobes 0.2– 0.4 mm long. Drupe ovoid-ellipsoid to ellipsoid to oblong to obovoid, 8.4–13. 2 mm long, 7.1–10. 5 mm in diameter, pubescent with erect to flexuose, eglandular, unbranched trichomes 0.3– 1 mm long and mealy-glandular.

PHENOLOGY.— Flowering: January–February; fruiting: July–November.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITATS.— Northeastern and southeastern Madagascar (Antsiranana, Toliara; EOO = 67,478 km 2; Fig 16 ). Plants occur in lowland and montane, wet, evergreen forests. Elev. 250–1200 m.

Most collections of Mendoncia kely have been determined previously as M. cowanii . It differs from that species by its shorter corollas with shorter tubes, leaf blades that lack domatia on the abaxial surface, shorter stamens and style, and smooth rugulae of pollen exine. Additionally, in most collections of M. kely , the leaf blades tend to be broadly ovate to elliptic (with length:width of 1.2–1.8 vs. length:width of 1.7– 2.8 in M. cowanii ) and short (up to ca. 6 cm long). In a few collections of this species (e.g., Antilahimena et al. 4587, Rakotovao et al. 2740) some or all blades are ovate (with length:width 2–2.3) and longer (up to 7.5 cm long).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED.— MADAGASCAR. Antsiranana. Roussettes SF, 12°31ʹS, 049°08ʹE, Andrianantoanina & Bezana 213 ( BR, CAS, MO); Fivondronana Antsiranana II. Parc Natl. de Montagne d’Ambre, a environ 70 km SW d’Antsiranana par route, et 9 km W du village de Marovato Scama (Anivorano), campement Andasibe, 12°37ʹ30ʺS, 049°11ʹ43ʺE, Andrianantoanina & Bezana 777 ( BR, CAS, MO); S d’Ansiranana, près de Joffreville, à la station Roussette, 12°27ʹS, 49°13ʹE, Andrianantoanina & Rocsceohclher 364 ( BR, MO); près d’Antsalaka, Montagne d’Ambre PN, 12°27ʹS, 049°13ʹE, Andrianantoanina et al. 221 ( BR, MO); Andapa, Anjialavabe, Ankiakabe, Tsaralanto, 14°13ʹ59ʺS, 049°23ʹ17ʺE, Antilahimena et al. 4587 ( CAS); Montagne d’Ambre Natl. Park, SW of Ambohitra (Joffreville), ca. 12°30.5ʹS, 049°10ʹE, Daniel & Butterwick 6742 ( CAS), Daniel 10591 et al. ( CAS); WNW of Andapa, NW of village of Ambodisatrana, 14°32ʹS, 049°26ʹE, McPherson 17159 ( MO); Sava, Andapa, Ambodivohitra, à 12 km SW de la commune rurale d’Anjialavabe et N d’Anjialavahely, 14°14ʹ12ʺS, 049°23ʹ05ʺE, Rakotovao et al. 2740 ( MO); Préfecture d’Antalaha, sous-préfecture d’Andapa, commune rurale de Bealampona, village de Mandritsarahely. SW d’Andapa, Réserve Speciale d’Anjanaharibe-Sud, suivant la piste vers Ranomafana, 5.5 km SW de Befingotra, campement #1, 14°45ʹ03ʺS, 049°30ʹ03ʺE, Ravelonarivo et al. 451 ( MO). Toliara: Andohahela RNI, Parcelle #1, beside Itrotroky river, NW of Eminiminy, Fort-Dauphin, 24°38ʹS, 046°46ʹE, Andrianantoanina et al. 11 ( BR, MO).

Figures

FIGURE 16. Map of Madagascar showing distribution of Mendoncia kely.