(Fig. 5)

Notulae systematicae 8: 86 (1939).

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Massif de l’Andohahela, 1800-1900 m, I.1934, fls, Humbert 13613 (holo-, P [P00541569]!; iso-, MO!, P [P00541570, P00541571]!).

SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Massif de l’Andohahela, Humbert 13613 (P); Toliara, RNI 11 Andohahela, Rakotomalaza 555 (MO, P[P01991759]); Toliara. Betroka, Ivahona, Befarafara, Andrianjafy et al. 1093 (MO, P[P 06241566]).

DISTRIBUTION. — This species is known from two collections made in the Massif of Andohahela at 1800- 1900 m elevation and one collection near Betroka at 1360 m altitude.

PHENOLOGY. — Flowers and fruits: January.

DESCRIPTION

Tree, to 18 m tall. Twigs angular, when very young brown-tomentellous, but soon glabrescent; terminal buds brown-tomentellous. Leaves alternate, firmly chartaceous, 5.5-9 × 2.3-3.5 cm, base acute, tip obtuse or acute, midrib slightly raised, lateral veins immersed on both surfaces, fine reticulation raised on lower surface, very slightly raised on upper surface, glabrous on both surfaces except for some curled reddish hairs along midrib on lower surface, lateral veins not very prominent, 5-6 on each side; domatia present, as deep pockets or cavities with a slit-like opening. Petioles 6-8 mm long, flat on upper side, with similar indument as twigs. Inflorescences in axils of deciduous bracts near tips of twigs, glabrous or pubescent, to 2 cm long, few-flowered.Tepals 6, glabrous outside, pubescent inside, c. 1.5 mm long. Stamens 9, 4-celled, filaments with a few hairs, anthers glabrous, staminodia 3, stipitiform with a few hairs. Ovary and inside of receptacle glabrous. Cupule bowl-shaped, shallow, 1.3 cm wide, 0.5 cm high, fruit ellipsoid, c. 2 × 1.5 cm.

REMARKS

Ocotea humbertii is readily recognized by the erect hairs on young twigs and terminal buds, the very short inflorescences, and the leaves with rather deep pocket-domatia. The type collection has stunted and glabrous inflorescences, and the second collection has better developed, pubescent inflorescences. In other characters, such as indument on twigs and flowers, domatia type, they are a good match. Kostermans (1957) cited three other collections under O. humbertii; he already suggested that these could belong to a different species. I exclude these collections from O. humbertii, they differ in their appressed pubescence on the terminal buds, absence of tomentellous indument on young twigs and their distribution. Rakotomalaza 1082 (MO) is provisionally placed here; its domatia are rather shallow and the leaves wider, but it has the typical indument of erect, short hairs on the young twigs.