Noronhia ankaranensis

3. Noronhia ankaranensis (H. Perrier) Hong-Wa, comb. & stat. nov. (Fig. 2C).

≡ Noronhia luteola var. ankaranensis H. Perrier in Mém. Inst. Sci. Madagascar, Sér. B, Biol. Vég. 2: 298. 1949.

≡ Noronhia luteola subsp. ankaranensis (H. Perrier) H. Perrier, Fl. Madagascar Comores 166: 51. 1952.

Typus: M ADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Ankarana, [12°54’00”S 49°07’48”E], 10-250 m, XII.1937, Humbert 18794 (holo-: P [P00573402]!; iso-: P [P00573403; P00573404]!; S [S09-36007] image seen, WAG [WAG0002492] image seen).

Description

Shrubs to trees to 8 m tall, trunk to 12 cm diameter; young twigs cylindrical, 0.6- 2.1 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium gray, smooth to rugose. Leaves opposite, semi-deciduous; bud scales persistent; blades dark green above, lighter below, obovate, 3.5-8.5 3 1-3.5 cm, coriaceous, glabrous, domatia abundant, base attenuate, margin flat to slightly revolute and undulate, apex rounded to obcordate, midrib flat above to slightly sunken above, flat to slightly raised below, secondary veins barely visible, 5-10 per side, 3-16 mm apart, looping 0.8-4 mm from the margin; petiole yellowish, 3-8 3 0.5-2.7 mm, not woody, glabrous. Thyrses solitary, pauciflorous, compact; peduncle 1.5-5 mm long, sparsely pubescent; pedicel 3-8 mm long, sparsely pubescent; calyx glabrous on both sides, lobes triangular, 0.7-1 3 0.7-1.1 mm; corolla white, cupuliform, 3-5.5 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 1-3 mm long, lobes lanceolate, apex acute; corona present, 1-1.4 mm long, undivided; stamens 1.2-1.9 mm long, anthers obtriangular, 0.8-1.3 mm long; pistil 1.2-2 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruiting pedicel 3-12 3 0.7-1.8 mm; young fruits green, dark brown when mature, ovoid to subglobose, 10-24 3 7-16.7 mm, smooth, sometimes covered with white dots, apex bluntly pointed to apiculate; dry pericarp 0.5-1.6 mm thick; endocarp woody; seed 7-16 3 5-10 mm.

Distribution, ecology and phenology

Noronhia ankaranensis occurs in low-elevation dry forests in the north, from Montagne des Français to Ankarana and Daraina (Fig. 3). It produces flowers and fruits throughout the year, with a peak between October and February.

Conservation status

With 37 collections representing 33 localities, the analysis resulted in an EOO of 12,445 km 2, an AOO of 112 km 2, and 23 subpopulations representing 19 locations, of which six occur within the network of protected areas (Ankarana, Ambodivahibe, Loky-Manambato, Montagne des Français, Nosy Mitsio, and Oronjia). Noronhia ankaranensis is thus assigned a preliminary status of “Near Threatened” due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation in non-protected areas.

Notes

Noronhia ankaranensis can be recognized by its non-woody petiole, obovate leaf blades bearing domatia, pauciflorous, compact thyrses, and white corolla. This species differs from N. luteola H. Perrier by the shape of its leaves (obovate vs. oblong to obovate) and corolla (cupuliform vs. subrotate) and by the organization of its thyrses (solitary vs. geminate). Although previously considered as a subspecies of the latter, these entities are not sister and do not even belong to the same clade (HONG- WA & BESNARD, 2013, 2014).

Additional specimens examined

MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Ankarana RS, [12°54’00”S 49°07’48”E], 50-409 m, 12-20.X.1993, Andrianantoanina 381 (K, MO); ibid. loc., [12°54’00”S 49°07’48”E], 6.X.1990, Bardot-Vaucoulon 124 (P); Baie des Sakalava, 12°16’24”S 49°23’30”E, 0 m, 15.VIII.2004, Be et al. 77 (CNARP, G, MO, P, TAN); Ambolobozokely, Nosy Laliara, 12°25’55”S 49°33’05”E, 9 m, 17. VI.2005, Be et al. 142 (CNARP, MO, P, TAN); Daraina, forêt d’Antsahabe, 13°13’S 49°33’E, 580 m, 15.X.2004, Callmander et al. 225 (Daraina, G, K, MO, P, TEF); ibid. loc., 13°12’51”S 49°33’01”E, 740 m, 3.XII.2004, Gautier 4811 (Daraina, G, K, MO, TEF); Sahafary, 12°34’36”S 49°27’41”E, 180 m, 24.VII.2004, Guittou et al. 40 (CNARP, G, MO, P, TAN); Sakaramy, Montagne des Français, [12°19’S 49°21’E], 8.XI.1944, Homolle 263 (P); Andavakoera, Montagne des Français, 12°19’57”S 49°21’19”E, 172 m, 4.VIII.2007, Hong-Wa et al. 545 (TAN); ibid. loc., 12°19’18”S 49°20’16”E, 270 m, 29.XII.2008, Hong-Wa 551 (MO, P, TAN); Ankarana, [12°54’00”S 49°07’48”E], 30-350 m, 24.I-29. II.1960, Humbert 32554 (P); Ankarana RS near Campement des Anglais, 12°54’42”S 49°06’42”E, 240-260 m, 16. V.1993, Jongkind & Rapanarivo 941 (MO, P, TAN); Matsaborimanga, Ankarana RS, 12°55’26”S 49°05’10”E, 300 m, 20.XI.1996, Labat 2778 (K, MO, P, TAN, WAG); Daraina, forêt d’Ankaramy, 13°17’07”S 49°40’41”E, 245 m, 22. II.2004, Nusbaumer & Ranirison 1202 (Daraina, G, K, MO, P, TAN); ibid. loc., 13°17’46”S 49°40’39”E, 640 m, 20.XII.2005, Nusbaumer & Ranirison 1819 (Daraina, G, K, MO, P, TEF); Daraina, Befarafara, forêt de Solanampilana, 13°05’26”S 49°34’32”E, 100 m, 15.XI.2005, Rakotonandrasana et al. 992 (CNARP, G, MO, P, TAN); Ampitiliantsambo, Montagne des Français, 12°23’13”S 49°22’53”E, 239 m, 11.IX.2004, Randriambololomamonjy et al. 14 (G, MO, P, TAN); Daraina, forêt d’Antsahabe, 13°10’50”S 49°33’17”E, 415 m, 30.IV.2004, Ranirison 750 (Daraina, G, K, MO, P, TEF); Andranovondronina, Anjiabe, forêt de Belamoty, 12°06’09”S 49°19’34”E, 85 m, 10.XI.2006, Ratovoson et al. 1152 (CNARP, MO, P, TAN); Vohémar, Manakana, 13°43’08”S 50°05’50”E, 13.III.2004, Razakamalala 1076 (G, MO, P, TEF); Anjiabe, Analabe, près du lac Sahaka, 13°04’43”S 49°54’04”E, 13. V.2004, Razakamalala et al. 1256 (MO, P, TEF); Vohémar, [13°26’S 50°00’E], 11.XII.1966, Service Forestier 27299 (G, MO, P); Massif de l’Ankarana (partie S du massif Mafokovo), 50-450 m, 17.XII.1966, Service Forestier 27360 (MO, P, TEF).