Acalypha leonii Baill.

Muñoz, Iris Montero, Levin, Geoffrey A. & Cardiel, José María, 2023, Monograph of Acalypha L. (Euphorbiaceae) of the Western Indian Ocean Region, with the description of a new species from Mayotte, Adansonia (3) 45 (26), pp. 395-496 : 453

27. Acalypha leonii Baill.

Bulletin Mensuel de la Société linnéenne de Paris II: 1197 ( Baillon 1895b). — Type: Madagascar. Prov. Toamasina, Forêt d’Antsianaka, 14.XII.1882, L. Humblot 514 (lecto-, designated by Montero Muñoz et al. [2018a: 103]: P[P00513056]; isolecto-, K[K000186528], P[P00513055, P00513057, P00513058]).

Acalypha leonii var. perrierana Leandri, Notulae Systematicae. Herbier du Muséum de Paris. Phanérogramie. Paris 10: 271 ( Leandri 1942). — Type: Madagascar. Prov. Mahajanga, bassin du Bemarivo, versant NE, 100 m, 1912, H. Perrier de la Bâthie 9719 (lecto-, designated byMontero Muñoz et al. [2018a: 103]: P[P00513061]; isolecto-, P[P00513059, P00513060]).

ICONOGRAPHY. — Fig. 46G. ETYMOLOGY . — The epithet honors French naturalist Léon Humblot (1852-1914). DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. — Endemic to Madagascar (Sava, Alaotra-Mangoro). Lowland evergreen moist forest and moist semi-deciduous forest. On basement rocks. Altitudinal range 100- 550 m ( Fig. 45 ). PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT. — The EOO of Acalypha leonii is estimated to be 13 516 km 2 and its AOO 24 km 2, which is less than the 500 km 2 threshold of the B2 subcriterion of the Endangered category. This species grows mainly in moist evergreen forests (see assessment of A. emirnensis ). All specimens of Acalypha leonii were collected in unprotected areas, and it occurs only in four locations. Due to its small AOO, the small number of locations, and ongoing habitat loss, A. leonii is assessed as Endangered (EN): EN B2ab(ii,iii,iv). MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 8 collections. Madagascar. Decary, R. 5554 (P[P00513172]); Gautier, L. LG 4003 (G[G00007294], K, P[P04786268]); Humbert , H. 24048 (P[P00513125], WAG[WAG.1578742]), 24208 (B[B100017325], G, K, MA[MA-01-00583961], NY,P[P00513123], WAG[WAG.1578531]); Humblot, L. 514 (K[K000186528], LD[LD1422440], P[P00513055, P00513056, P00513057, P00513058]); Perrier de la Bâthie, H. 9719 (P[P00513059, P00513060, P00513061]); Service Forestier Madagascar 27269-SF (P[P00324566]); Razakamalala, R. 5536 (MO[MO-3025029], P, TAN). REFERENCES. — Palacký (1907: 25); Pax & Hoffmann (1924: 112); Leandri (1942: 271); Leandri (1952); Govaerts et al. (2000: 72); Schatz (2001: 142); Montero Muñoz et al. (2018a: 103).

DESCRIPTION

Shrubs, evergreen, to 2 m tall, monoecious. Branches subglabrous, with some simple, appressed trichomes, glabrous when mature. Axillary buds subspherical, to 1 × 1.2 mm, perulate, perules 2, imbricate, chartaceous, blackish, glabrous. Stipules to 3 mm long, triangular-lanceolate, rigid, fleshy, midrib thick, margin ciliate. Petioles thick, canaliculate, 0.5-2.5(-3) cm long, glabrous. Leaf blades 7-10(-12.5) × 2-4(-6.5) cm, elliptic-lanceolate to subobovate, chartaceous; base obtuse to cuneate; apex acuminate, acumen to 20 mm long, rounded; margin crenate-serrate to subentire, slightly thickened, teeth rounded; upper and lower surfaces glabrous; venation pinnate, secondary veins 8-10 per side. Stipels absent. Inflorescences spiciform, androgynous and male, axillary. Androgynous inflorescences to 10 cm long, mostly male with short female segment; peduncle to 11 mm long, glabrous; rachis puberulent with short, curved, antrorse trichomes. Female segment to 3 cm long; bracts 1-4, sessile, enlarging in fruit to 5 × 6 mm, reniform, chartaceous, glabrous; margin deeply dentate, teeth c. 9, broadly triangular, rounded, central tooth not prominent; bracteoles absent. Male segment persistent, to 8 cm long; flowers glomerate; bracts to 0.5 mm diameter, orbicular, slightly fleshy, glabrous. Male inflorescences to 8 cm long; peduncle to 10 mm long, glabrous; rachis and bracts similar to those of androgynous inflorescences. Male flowers: pedicel to 1 mm long, sparsely hairy; buds to 0.8 mm diameter, sparsely hairy. Female flowers 1 per bract, sessile; sepals 3, to 1 mm long, ovate-triangular, ciliate and sparsely hairy; ovary c. 1 mm diameter, 3-lobed, papillose, papillae to 1 mm long, ending in sessile gland, surface sparsely hairy with simple, short trichomes; styles 3, to 3 mm long, connate at base, glabrous, each divided into c. 10 segments. Allomorphic flowers not seen. Capsules to 2.5 mm diameter, papillose, papillae to 1 mm long, surface sparsely hairy. Seeds too young to describe.

Figures

FIG. 46. — Mature female bracts: A, Acalypha indica L. (Sagun et al., 2010, Sagun & Risna SR58); B, A. integrifolia Willd. (P. Commerson 655); C, A. isaloensis I.Montero & Cardiel (J.-N. Labat 2119); D, A. lamiana (Leandri) I.Montero & Cardiel (H. J. Lam & A. Meeuse 6727); E, A. lanceolata Willd. var. glandulosa (Müll.Arg.) Radcl.-Sm. (H. Perrier de la Bâthie 9929); F, A. leandrii I.Montero & Cardiel (J. Leandri 2037); G, A. leonii Baill. (L. Gautier LG4003); H, A. lepidopagensis Leandri (H. Perrier de la Bâthie 9726). Illustration by Iris Montero Muñoz. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIG. 45. — Distribution map of Acalypha leonii Baill. in Madagascar.