Gossia nigripes N. Snow

Gossia nigripes (Guillaumin) N. Snow

(Figs 17; 18D, E)

Austrobaileya 8: 181 (2010). — Myrtus nigripes Guillaumin, Bulletin de la Société botanique de France 85: 632 (1939). — Austromyrtus nigripes (Guillaumin) Burret, Notizblatt des Botanischen Gartens und Museums zu Berlin-Dahlem 15: 505 (1941).

— Typus: New Caledonia. Grande Terre, South Prov., Montagnes situées au Sud de Canala, 20.XI.1869, B. Balansa 2085 (holo-, P [P00602577]; iso-, P[P00462930, P00462931]).

ETYMOLOGY. — Derivation from the Latin niger (black) and pes (foot) in reference to the petioles (foot of the blade), which dry dark brown to blackish.

DISTRIBUTION, HABITAT AND PHENOLOGY. — Mt Mandjélia and areas to the north and from the type collection south of Canala (Fig. 17); over micaschistes and forests, sometimes as a dominant on montane ridges, c. 500-1000 m. Flowering February and March; fruiting June through December.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — New Caledonia. Grande Terre, North Prov. Pouébo, 600 m, 24.VII.1974, MacKee 28968 (P[P02089864]); Mt Mandjélia; 19.XII.1981, McPherson 4509 (BISH [fragment], MO, NOU [NOU029638], NSW, P[P05094545], PTBG, WELTU); above Ouegoa along forest road, 18.VIII.1981, Mueller-Dombois 81081810 (BISH); ibid. loco, Mueller-Dumbois 81081831 (BISH); Col d’Amoss, 20°18’22”S, 164°23’51”E, 14.X.2002, Tronchet 364 et al. (K n.v., MO, NOU, P[P00354952]); Haut Diahot, Tendé, 600 m, 30. VI.1982, MacKee 40566 (MO, NOU [NOU029624], P[P02089875]).

REPRESENTATIVE HERBARIUM SPECIMEN. — P02089875.

DESCRIPTION

Shrubs or trees

3- 8 m.

Branchlets

Terete; internodes> 5 mm.

Leaves

Coriaceous, 2 per node; petioles 2.5-4 mm, terete; blades 2.0- 4.5(-4.8) × 0.8-1.7(-2.4) cm, narrowly elliptic to narrowly obovate, base narrowly cuneate, surface flat, margin flat, apex obtuse, midnerve above sulcate proximally becoming flush apically, secondary veins not visible above, oil glands of lower surface dense but indistinct.

Inflorescence

Of monads or 3-flowered cymes, axillary, pedicels to 4.5 cm; extrafloral bracts absent.

Bracteoles

c. 2 mm, narrowly ovate to ovate, glabrous.

Hypanthium

2.8-3.2 × c. 3 mm, urceolate, surface smooth, glabrous; ovary apex glabrous.

Calyx

Lobes 4 (5 occasionally), 1-2 mm, broadly ovate to rounded, glabrous above and below, green.

Petals

Not seen.

Filaments

3-4.5 mm; anther sacs 0.6-0.8 mm.

Style

4.5-5 mm, hairy to near apex.

Fruits

5-9 × 6-11 mm, subglobular to globular, base rounded, green becoming reddish then bluish-black; seeds 2-3, irregularly hemispherical.

REMARKS

Within Gossia the species is distinguished by leaves that are nearly all 4 cm or less long and distinctly yellowish-green, with dark maroon petioles that dry to nearly black.

The species can resemble Gossia vieillardii, but that species has longer leaf blades on average, longer inflorescences, and fruits that often taper distinctly at the base. Additional data from flowering material are needed.