Coprosma fatuhivaensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence, 2011

Wagner, Warren L. & Lorence, David H., 2011, Revision of Coprosma (Rubiaceae, tribe Anthospermeae) in the Marquesas Islands, PhytoKeys 4, pp. 109-124 : 113-114

Coprosma fatuhivaensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence sp. nov. Figs 1 4A, B

Latin.

Foliis tenuiter coriaceis, 5.3 - 6.7 cm longis × 0.9 - 1.8 cm latis, anguste ellipticis, petiolis 0.7 - 1.1 cm longis, stipulis circa 2 - 2.5 mm longis.

Type.

Marquesas Islands: Fatu Hiva:Tevaiua, southern summit region, 870 m, 15 February 2003, K. R. Wood 10137 (Holotype: PTBG!; Isotypes: AD!, BISH!, K!, MO!, MPU!, NY!, P!, PAP!, US!).

Description.

Tree ca. 7 m tall; young stems short-pilose. Leaves opposite, thinly coriaceous, blades 5.3-6.7 × 0.9-1.8 cm, narrowly elliptic, pinnately veined with 8-9 pairs of secondary veins, higher level venation conspicuously reticulate, both surfaces glabrous, domatia minute, usually subcircular, located along midrib near juncture of secondary veins, apex acute, base attenuate; petioles 0.7-1.1 cm long; stipules ca. 2-2.5 mm long, connate 4/5 of length, both surfaces glabrate, margins weakly ciliate and dentate with a larger and sometimes also a few small colleters, the colleters often with a small tufts of a few hairs. Inflorescences axillary, subsessile, with 3 flowers, these 5-6-merous. Flowers: male flowers unknown; female flowers with peduncles to 4.2 mm long, calyx short-tubular, ca. 0.5-0.6 mm long, the tube ca. 0.1-0.2 mm long, the lobes triangular, 0.3-0.4 mm long, corolla narrowly funnelform, the tube 2 mm long, the lobes 1.2-1.3 mm long. Fruit and pyrenes unknown.

Etymology.

The specific epithet refers to the only known island of occurrence for this species.

Distribution.

This new species is known only from a single collection at the type locality in the southern summit region at 870 m on Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands.

Ecology.

Coprosma fatuhivaensis occurs in Metrosideros collina windswept wet ridge forest with secondary dominants of Crossostylis biflora J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. and Freycinetia impavida .

Conservation status.

Following the criteria and categories of IUCN (2001) it is assigned a preliminary status of Critically endangered (CR): B2a, B2b ( i–iii); D: B2: total area of occupancy less than 10 km2 (ca. 5 km2); B2a, a single population known; b ( i–iii), habitat continuing decline inferred; D, population estimated to number fewer than 250 individuals (a single individual observed). The suitable habitat for Coprosma fatuhivaensis on Fatu Hiva (ca. 85 km2) is indicated as an endangered environment, threatened by feral animals and invasive plants, reducing the extent of the forest. Estimated population size (collector's note) is a single female individual.