Abrahamia patrickii Randrian. & Lowry, 2017

Randrianasolo, Armand, Lowry II, Porter P. & Schatz, George E., 2017, Taxonomic treatment of Abrahamia Randrian. & Lowry, a new genus of Anacardiaceae from Madagascar, Boissiera 71, pp. 1-152 : 109-110

25. Abrahamia patrickii Randrian. & Lowry , spec. nova ( Fig. 22 ).

Typus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Rég. SAVA, Vohémar, commune rurale de Daraina , forêt de Bobankora, partie N, 510 m, 13°13’15’’S 49°45’42’’E, 510 m, 29.I.2005, fr., Ranirison & Nusbaumer 919 (holo-: G [ G00019652 ]!; iso-: MO- 6671434 !, P [ P00580356 ]!, TEF [ TEF000886 ]!).

Diagnosis

Abrahamia patrickii Randrian. & Lowry can easily be distinguished from other members of the genus by its sub-verticillate to subopposite leaves, narrowly oblanceolate leaf blade with very closely spaced secondary veins, and the presence of circular orange-brown scales on the abaxial leaf surface.

Description

Trees 13.5 m tall, 20 cm in diam.; young twigs lenticellate. Leaves sub-verticillate or subopposite; blade oblanceolate, 3-5.5 3 1-1.5 cm, subcoriaceous, apex emarginate or round, margin undulate, base cuneate to acute, adaxial surface glabrous, abaxial surface mostly glabrous but with scattered short reddish indument along midvein and margin, as well as circular, orange-brown scales, venation craspedodromous, midvein prominent abaxially, secondary veins 24-28 pairs, 1-3 mm apart, very often closely spaced, raised on both surfaces, tertiary veins not visible on either surface; petiole 6-13 mm long, c. 0.8-1 mm in diam., glabrous, canaliculate on adaxial surface. Inflorescence and flowers unknown. Fruits 2.3-2.6 3 1.1-1.3 cm, slightly asymmetric, ellipsoid, glabrous, with longitudinal striations.

Etymology

The species epithet honors Patrick Ranirison for his dedication to the study of the Malagasy flora, most notably his work in the Daraina region of northeastern Madagascar.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Abrahamia patrickii is known only from the type collection from the Daraina area and a second gathering made N of Sambava ( Map 6 ), in semi-deciduous and evergreen humid forest. It has been collected with fruits in January and February.

Conservation status

With a minimum AOO of 8 km 2 and 2 localities, both of which situated are within protected areas (Loky Manambato and Makirovona), A. patrickii is assigned a preliminary conservation status of “Least Concern’’ [LC] using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria ( IUCN, 2012).

Notes

Abrahamia patrickii closely resembles A. nitida by its sub-verticillate leaves with an oblanceolate blade, similar number of craspedodromous secondary veins (24-28 in A. patrickii and 20-30 in A. nitida ), similar petiole length (6-13 mm in A. patrickii and 5-15 mm in A. nitida ), and glabrous fruit. However, the leaves of A. patrickii differ from those of A. nitida by their undulate (vs revolute) margins, orange-brown circular scales (vs glabrous) on the abaxial surface, narrowly spaced secondary veins (1-3 vs 3 mm apart), obscure (vs visible and raised) tertiary veins, and fruit with longitudinal striations (vs smooth) on the surface.

Paratypus

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Rég. SAVA , Sambava, forêt d’Antsahaha Kasaka , 2 km NW du village Ambavala, 14°05’39’’S 50°02’42’’E, 146 m, 16.II.2006, fr., Andrianjafy et al. 1590 ( MO, TAN, P).

Figures

Map 6. Geographic distribution of species of Abrahamia Randrian.& Lowry

Fig. 22. Abrahamia patrickii Randrian. & Lowry. A. Fruiting branch; B. Fruit. [Ranirison & Nusbaumer 919, MO] Drawings:R.L. Andriamiarisoa