(Fig. 8)

Notulae systematicae 8: 78 (1939).

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Massif de Tsaratanana, 1600 m, I.1923, fr., Perrier de la Bâthie 15252 (holo-, P [P00541602]!).

SELECTED SPECIMENS SEEN. — Mahajanga. Tsaratanana Massif, N of Mangindrano, Lowry et al. 5465 (MO); Antsiranana. Tsaratanana Massif, along path from Mangindrano to Mahatsabory Mica, Birkinshaw et al. 971 (MO, P[P01991796]); Majunga Province, 13 km SW de Befingotra, Rakotomalaza & Ravelomanantsoa PJ 2141 (G, MO).

DISTRIBUTION. — This species has been collected in the Tsaratanana Massif, at elevations from 1400-1700 m.

PHENOLOGY. — Flowers (old): January; fruits: February-June.

VERNACULAR NAMES. — Tafono, tafonana.

DESCRIPTION

Tree, to 30 m tall.Twigs angular,rufous tomentellous, indument wearing off with age; terminal buds rufous tomentellous. Leaves alternate, firmly chartaceous, 10-18 × 4-7 cm, elliptic, tip acute, base acute or lamina slightly decurrent along petiole, upper surface glabrous, somewhat shiny, venation immersed, lower leaf surface sparsely or moderately pubescent,the hairs erect and curled, midrib, lateral veins and tertiary venation raised, domatia present, consisting of (shallow) pockets covered by a dense tuft of reddish hairs; lateral veins 6-7 on each side.Petioles with similar indument as twigs, 1.6-2.5 cm long. Inflorescences in the axils of leaves, paniculate, brown tomentellous, to 5 cm long. Tepals 6, densely pubescent on both surfaces, 2-2.5 mm long.Stamens 9, 4-celled, c. 1.5 mm long, filaments pubescent, anther glabrous; staminodia 3, stipitiform, pubescent. Ovary glabrous and receptacle appressed pubescent on the inner surface. Fruit globose, cupule cup-shaped, 1.8 cm wide.

REMARKS

Ocotea longipes was a poorly known species. The type collection has old, somewhat mouldy flowers and other specimens seen by Kostermans were either sterile or in fruit. Recently, a few good flowering specimens have been collected and the description of the flowers is largely based on those. This species resembles O. thouvenotii (Kostermans [1957] treated O. longipes as a synonym of O. thouvenotii), but the latter species has opposite leaves, a pubescent ovary – and receptacle – and a different distribution. Ocotea longipes has also a pubescent receptacle, but the ovary is glabrous. Characteristic for this species is the combination of alternate, pubescent leaves, domatia consisting of a depression, often with a fringe of hairs, and pubescent twigs.