Ocotea glaberrima van der Werff 2013, sp. nov.

13. Ocotea glaberrima van der Werff, sp. nov.

(Figs 7, 8)

Inter species madagascarienses glabras foliis parvis, obtusis et statura humili recedit.

TYPUS. — Madagascar. Toamasina, path from Ambatondradama to Beanjada, 15°15’57’’S, 50°00’02’’E, 375-1311 m, 9.X.1997, fls, Birkinshaw, Ralimanana & Ranaivojaona 500 (holo-, MO [2061516]!; iso-, TAN).

PARATYPES. — Madagascar. Taomasina, Maroantsetra, comm. Ampokafo, village Amabatoledama, 15°17’S, 50°00’E, without altitude, VI.2003, fls, Antilahimena 2017 (MO, P, TAN); same loc., without altitude, VI.2003, fr., Antilahimena 2035 (MO, TAN).

DISTRIBUTION. — Ocotea glaberrima sp. nov. is only known from three collections made at the northern edge of the Masoala Peninsula. Altitudinal data are incomplete, reported between 375 and 1311 m.

PHENOLOGY. — Flowers have been collected in June and October, immature fruits in June.

DESCRIPTION

Shrub, 0.5- 2 m. Twigs terete, glabrous; terminal buds glabrous. Leaves 3-5.5 × 1.5-2 cm, glabrous, stiffly chartaceous, elliptic, the base and apex obtuse, venation immersed on the upper surface, reticulation finely raised on the lower surface, lower surface finely and minutely gland-dotted, domatia absent, lateral veins difficult to discern, 4-6 on each side. Inflorescences 2-3 cm long, in the axils of bracts, racemose. Flowers 4 mm in diameter, white, tepals half-erect at anthesis; tepals 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous outside, sparsely pubescent inside; stamens 9, all 4-celled, glabrous, 1 mm long; inner three stamens with 2 large glands at the base, the glands half as long as the stamens; staminodia not seen; pistil c. 2 mm long, glabrous, the style half as long as the ovary; receptacle cup-shaped, glabrous inside. Cupule cup-shaped, 5 mm wide, 8 mm high, fruit (immature) c. 7 × 8 mm.

REMARKS

Ocotea glaberrima sp. nov. is an inconspicuous shrub. It stands out among the entirely glabrous Ocotea species from Madagascar by its small leaves with an obtuse base and apex. The other glabrous species differ as follows: Ocotea longipedicellata van der Werff has flowers with a pedicel of 1 cm; pedicels in O. glaberrima sp. nov. are 5 mm long; Ocotea sambiranensis van der Werff has larger leaves with an acute apex and raised reticulation on both surfaces of the leaves; O. glaberrima sp. nov. has only raised reticulation on the lower surface and O. madagascariensis is poorly known, but it has large leaves and is a large tree, in contrast with the small size of O. glaberrima sp. nov.