Turraea neoleroyana Callm. & Nusb., sp. nov.

(Fig. 6)

DIAGNOSIS. — Turraea neoleroyana sp. nov. is distinguished from Turraea rasolofoae Callm. & Nusb., sp. nov. by the length of its flowers (3 cm vs 5-7 cm long), its glabrous ovary (vs tomentose), and its smooth berry with a couple of warts (vs ridged, densely verrucose, and tomentose).

TYPUS. — Madagascar • Atsimo-Andrefana Region [Prov. Toliara], 14 km E of Sakaraha, Zombitsy Forest; 22°53’S, 44°40’E; 700 m; 14.X.1990; Phillipson 3773 (holo-, G [G00415934]!; iso-, K [K004160892]!, MO [MO-3188508] image!, P [P06706684]!, TAN). PHENOLOGY. — Flowers from October to January; fruits in February and March.

DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Turraea neoleroyana sp. nov. appears to be endemic to the dry spiny thicket and dry deciduous forests of south-western Madagascar at an elevation between 100 to 800 m. ETYMOLOGY. — This new species is named in honour of Prof. Jean-François Leroy. Professeur Leroy worked extensively on the

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Meliaceae of Madagascar and described four new endemic genera, i.e. Calodecaryia, Capuronianthus J.-F. Leroy (Leroy 1958), Humbertioturraea, and Neobeguea J.-F. Leroy (Leroy 1970) and another Malagasy regional endemic (also occurring in the Comores and on Aldabra atoll in the Seychelles), Malleastrum (Baill.) J.-F. Leroy (Leroy 1964). Leroy further described 37 new Meliaceae species endemic to Madagascar (Madagascar Catalogue 2024).

CONSERVATION STATUS. — Turraea neoleroyana sp. nov. has a geographic range in the form of an EOO of 7716 km ² and an AOO of 24 km ². It is known from six localities, two of which are situated within protected area network (Tsinjoriake and Zombitse Vohibasia). Outside of the protected areas, forests are threatened by clearing for agriculture, fire, grazing, and exploitation for firewood, all of which will result in a continuing decline of the habitat and number of mature individuals of the species. The new species is therefore preliminary assessed as “Vulnerable” [VU B1ab(i,iii,iv,v) +2ab(i,iii,iv,v)] in accordance with IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN 2012).

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Madagascar • Atsimo-Andrefana Region [Prov. Toliara], Ranobe, PK 32, Will’s track; 23°03’36”S, 43°41’39”E; 99 m; 27.XI.2006; fl.; Andrianjafy 1873 (G [G00642054], K [K001598906], MO [MO-3188452], P, TAN) • La Table, Tuléar; [23°24’S, 43°47’E]; III.1960; fr.; Bosser 14004 (P [P02090170]) • Vallée de la Sakoa, distr. de Betioky; [23°47’S, 44°46’E]; 21.X.1940; fl.; Decary 15975 (P [P06709540]) • RN 7 à 15 km au nord-est de Sakaraha; [22°52’S, 44°25’E]; 800 m; 8.XI.1978; fl.; Lorence 2092 (MO, P [P06709536], TAN) • Env. des charbonnages de la Sakoa; [23°40’S, 44°52’E]; 21.II.1949; fr.; Service Forestier 487 (P [P06709539]) • Entre laTable et Sarodrano; [23°24’S, 43°47’E]; I.1962; fl.; Service Forestier 20822 (P [P06709552], TEF).

DESCRIPTION

Shrubs to treelets 2-10 m tall; young twigs puberulent becoming glabrescent; lateral twigs with scars. Leaves unifoliolate; leaf blade narrowly elliptic, softly membranaceous, tomentose on both faces, becoming puberulent, (2-)3-4(4.5) × (0.6)1-1.5(- 2) cm, base attenuate to obtuse, margin entire, subrevolute sometimes undulate, apex obtuse to attenuate, adaxial surface dark green, abaxial surface pale green, domatia absent; primary vein prominent; secondary veins and reticulum marked, especially adaxially; petiole 2-3 mm long, tomentose. Inflorescences pauciflorous, 1-3 flowers. Flower buds enlarged and obtuse at the apex. Flowers c. 3 cm long; pedicel 3-5 mm long, puberulous. Calyx cupuliform, 3-4 × 4 mm, 5-lobed, each lobe with an apical tooth c. 1.5 mm long, puberulous outside especially distally. Corollas white of 5 spathulate petals, longer than the staminal tube, c. 30 mm long, c. 1 mm wide at base, 1-5- 2 mm wide in the proximal part, apex acute, glabrous on both sides, puberulent proximally on the abaxial side. Staminal tube cylindrical, enlarged distally, 20-25 × 1-2 mm, glabrous; appendices 10, bifid at base, c. 2 mm long, glabrous; anthers 10, shortly pedicellate, broardly elliptic, 1-1.5 × 0.5 mm, mucronate; ovary globose to oblate, c. 1 in diam., glabrous, locules 10, each with 2 superposed ovules; style exserted 3-4 mm, beyond the staminal tube c. 0.3 mm in diam. Receptaculum pollinis ovoid to prolate, 3.5 × 1-1.5 mm; stigma discoid, c. 0.5 in diam. Mature fruits unknown; immature fruit an indehiscent berry, 10?-loculate, smooth with a couple of warts, globose, 20 mm diam., glabrous; pericarp c. 1 mm thick. Seeds reniform, 10 × 6 mm; testa brow-reddish, smooth.

NOTES

Turraea neoleroyana sp. nov. resembles Turraea rasolofoae sp. nov. in its pauciflorous inflorescences with white flowers and its staminal tube bearing ten bifid appendices. The new species can be distinguished by its smaller leaves and flowers and its glabrous ovary and berry.

The new species has an indehiscent berry and was treated by Leroy and Lescot in the genus Humbertioturraea. It was first recognized as new by Leroy as “ Humbertioturraea parvifolia ” in October 1958 as indicated by a label in his hand on the collection Service Forestier 487. “ Humbertioturraea betiokensis ” also appears on Decary 15975 in Leroy’s hand. It finally bears the name “ Humbertioturraea bosseri ” in the unpublished treatement by Leroy & Lescot.