Operculicarya hyphaenoides H.Perrier

Randrianasolo, Armand & Lowry Ii, Porter P., 2006, Operculicarya (Anacardiaceae) revisited: an updated taxonomic treatment for Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, with descriptions of two new species, Adansonia (3) 28 (2), pp. 359-371 : 368-369

6. Operculicarya hyphaenoides H.Perrier

Mémoires du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle 18: 249 (1944). — Type: Madagascar, Prov. Toliara, Manampetsa (= Tsimanampetsotsa PA), calcaire, [24°07’S, 43°47’E], IV.1933, fr., Perrier de la Bâthie 19169 (holo-, P!; iso-, P!) .

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Madagascar. Prov. Toliara, Tsimanampetsotsa PA, Phillipson 2730, 3722. — Tsimanampetsotsa PA, Perrier de la Bâthie 19169. — Gouffre de Mihoto, Tsimanampetsotsa PA, Service Forestier (Capuron) 18649 bis. — Tsimanampetsotsa PA, Service Forestier (Capuron) 20614. — Efoatse à Itampolo, Service Forestier 20632 bis.

REMARKS

Operculicarya hyphaenoides is a well-branched shrub or small tree about 1.5 m tall. It is restricted to SW Madagascar (Fig. 3), where it occurs in xerophytic scrub vegetation on limestone in and around Tsimanampetsotsa National Park. This species can be recognized by its numerous small leaflets with strongly revolute margins and prominently raised venation on lower surface that forms deep cavities between veins.

CONSERVATION STATUS

With an EOO well below 500 km 2, an AOO of 300 km 2 and only two subpopulations, one from a protected area (Tsimanampetsotsa PA), Operculicarya hyphaenoides is assigned a preliminary status of Endangered (EN B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii)) based on application of the IUCN Red List threat criteria ( IUCN 2001).