Coprosma reticulata Florence (Bulletin du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, B, Adansonia, Ser. 4, 8: 6. 1986).

Wagner, Warren L. & Lorence, David H., 2011, Revision of Coprosma (Rubiaceae, tribe Anthospermeae) in the Marquesas Islands, PhytoKeys 4, pp. 109-124 : 115

Coprosma reticulata Florence (Bulletin du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, B, Adansonia, Ser. 4, 8: 6. 1986).

Type.

Marquesas Islands: Nuku Hiva. Toovii, épaulement au-dessus du réservoir [08°52'S, 140°09'W], 970 m, 12 Avril 1982, Florence 4306 (holotype: P!; isotypes: BISH! [2], K!, NY!, PAP!, US!).

Description.

Shrubs or small trees 3-10 m tall, up to 12 cm diam., stems glabrous. Leaves thinly coriaceous, decussate, the blades 8.5-19.7 × 3-13 cm, oblanceolate, oblong or elliptic-oblanceolate, glabrous, pinnately veined with 8-13 pairs of secondary veins, higher level venation conspicuously reticulate, raphides conspicuously visible on lower surface along the major veins, which are dark-colored, domatia small, slightly elongated, located along midrib near juncture with secondary veins, apex acuminate, base attenuate; petioles 0.3-1.3 cm long, narrowly winged; stipules ca. 3-5 mm long, connate ½ -4/5 of length, glabrous externally, strigose internally, margins ciliate and dentate with conspicuous colleters, apex obtuse to a conspicuous appendage. Inflorescences axillary, simple or occasionally trichotomously branched with 7 flowers, rarely more, each branch with 1-3 nodes the uppermost with a 3-flowered cymule, the others usually with only 1-2 flowers developing on each, these 4-6-merous, peduncles finely, sparsely strigulose. Flowers: male flowers with calyx tube 0.5-1.5 mm long, the lobes 0.3-0.9 mm long, the corolla 6.9-8 mm long, the tube 3.5-4.2 mm long, the lobes 3.4-4 mm long, the stamens with filaments 10-13 mm long, the anthers ca. 5 mm long; female flowers with calyx tube 0.4-0.8 mm long, the lobes 0.3-0.6 mm long, corolla narrowly funnelform, the tube 1.5-2 mm long, the lobes 2.2-2.5 mm long, the styles 8-10 mm long. Fruit 7-8 × 3.5-4 mm, obovoid to ellipsoid, ripening orange, apex with persistent calyx teeth. Pyrenes ovoid-ellipsoid, compressed, 6 × 3 mm, rugulose, dorsally weakly 1-ribbed.

Distribution.

Known only from the Toovii area of Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands, at elevations from 800 to 1100 m.

Ecology.

Coprosma reticulata occurs in wet forest and cloud forest habitat with species of Alsophila , Crossostylis , Fagraea , Freycinetia , Metrosideros , Weinmannia , and an understory of ferns including the genera Dicranopteris , Histiopteris , and Nephrolepis .

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the distinctive reticulate network of tertiary veins.

Conservation status.

Based on the IUCN criteria and categories this species is assigned a preliminary Red List status of Endangered (EN): B1, B2b ( i–iii): B1 extent of occurrence <5,000 km²; B2: total area of occupancy less than 500 km² (c. 50 km²); B2b ( i–iii), habitat continuing decline inferred in (i) extent of occurrence, (ii) areas of occupancy, and area, (iii) extent and/or quality of habitat. The suitable habitat for Coprosma reticulata on Nuku Hiva (c. 340 km²) is indicated as an endangered environment, threatened by human activity (deforestation and fire), feral animals, and invasive plants, reducing the extent of the forest. The population size for this species is unknown, but based on available herbarium specimens (14) it is apparently not as rare as its Marquesan congeners.

Specimens Examined.

Marquesas Islands: Nuku Hiva.Toovii, vallon au-dessus du réservoir, 805 m, [08°52'S, 140°09'W], Florence 4316 (BISH, K, NY, P, PAP, US); Toovii, épaulement au-dessus du réservoir, 910 m, [08°52'S, 140°09'W], Florence 4325 (BISH, P); Toovii, épaulement S du Mt. Ooumu, 980 m, [08°51'S, 140°08'W], Florence 4346 (BISH, K, NY, P, US); Toovii, flanc W de la vallée de la Tapuaooa, 925 m, [08°51'S, 140°09'W], Florence 7452 (BISH, P, PAP); Toovii region, trail along ridge from near l'Economie Rurale complex to Ooumu peak, 860-1080 m, Lorence et. al. 6116 (BISH, PAP, PTBG, US); Mt. Ooumu, 1066 m, Mumford & Adamson 582(BISH); Toovii Plateau, trail behind l'Economie Rurale, toward Ooumu peak, 3100 ft, Perlman 10124 (BISH, MO, PAP, PTBG, US); off new airport road, W of summit crest, W of Peak #1227 M., drainages of Matatekouaehi, 3580 ft, Perlman & Wood 15041 (BISH, PAP, PTBG, US); along old airport road on W side of summit ridge, W of Toovii, 1.5 miles S of new airport road, 3360 ft, Perlman & Wood 15067 (AD, BISH, MO, NY, P, PAP, PTBG, US); Toovii, 850 m, Thibault 127 (BISH, P, US); Ooumu area, top of Tapueahu Valley off new hwy, 3500-3700 ft [1067-1178 m], [08°51'53"S, 140°10'63"W], Wood et. al. 6344 (PTBG), [08°51'S, 140°19'W], Wood & Perlman 4587 (PTBG, US), Wood & Perlman 4627 (BISH, MO, PAP, PTBG, US).