Craterispermum motleyanum De Block & Randriamb. 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: De Block, Petra
name: Randriamboavonjy, Tianjanahary
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Gentianales
Rubiaceae
Craterispermum
Craterispermum motleyanum

description: Craterispermum motleyanum De Block & Randriamb., sp. nov. Fig. 1.   
 Type: — MADAGASCAR. Province Toamasina: near Andasibe, forest of Mantadia, beyond graphite mine, 900 m, 18° 55’ S, 48° 25’ E, 6 November 1994, McPherson & Van der Werff 16525 (holotype MO, isotypes BR, K, TAN).   
Resembling C. schweinfurthii Hiern in Oliver (1877: 161) from Continental Africa in inflorescence size and structure (compact cyme) but differing from it by the smaller, more coriaceous, obovate or broadly obovate leaves (1.8–12 x 1–5 cm vs. 5,5–22,3 x 2–7,7 cm) with more prominent higher order venation on both leaf surfaces, a shorter acumen (1–5 mm long vs. 5–12.5 mm long) and a yellowish or golden colour (vs. greenish in C. schweinfurthii).  
Tree, (3–) 5–15 m tall, dbh up to 25(–50) cm, or rarely shrub, 2–4 m tall; vegetative and generative parts glabrous; branches dark brown or brown, somewhat corky; younger branches pale or greenish brown, often with weak decurrent ridge. Stipules 1.5–2.5(–4) mm long, keeled, persistent, awn 0.1–0.3(–0.5) mm long. Leaves petiolate; petioles 0.6–1.8 cm long, canaliculate; leaf blades obovate or broadly obovate, 1.8–12 x 1–5 cm, coriaceous, drying yellowish green or golden brown, often somewhat discolourous with lower surface paler; apex acuminate, acumen 1–5 mm long; base decurrent; margin revolute; midrib prominent on both leaf surfaces, raised below, impressed above; secondary nerves prominent on both surfaces, raised below and above, 6–9 on each side of the midrib; higher order venation prominent on both surfaces, raised below, raised or not raised above, usually paler than leaf blade below (when dry). Inflorescences supra-axillary, attached ca. 1–5 mm above node, or rarely axillary, (3–)4–9-flowered, pedunculate, compact cymes; peduncle stout, laterally compressed, widened distally, 2–14 mm long; inflorescence axes 0–1 mm long; bracts broadly triangular and vaulted, ca. 1.5 mm long, tip acuminate, margin sometimes sparsely beset with colleters. Flowers sessile or subsessile, 5-merous, flower bud rounded; bracteoles broadly ovate or broadly triangular, ca. 1–1.2 x 1.5 mm, tip obtuse to acute or acuminate, margin often sparsely beset with colleters; calyx tube 0.7–1 mm long, inner surface glabrous but groups of colleters present below the sinuses of the calyx lobes; calyx lobes broadly triangular, 0.2–0.8 mm long, inner surface glabrous, tip acute and tipped by colleter, margin often sparsely beset with colleters; corolla white; corolla tube narrowly cylindrical but widening somewhat at the throat, 4–6 mm long, inner surface densely pubescent in upper half and throat; corolla lobes 2.5–4 x 1.2–1.5 mm, inner surface pubescent with long erect hairs at the base, pubescence continuing sparsely along the midrib higher up, tip acute with short adaxial subapical spike-like protuberance, margin somewhat thickened; anthers 1.5–2 mm long; stigmatic lobes 1–1.5 mm long; ovary cup-shaped, 0.7–1 mm long, 2-locular, each locule containing a solitary pendulous ovule. Longistylous flowers: stamens only partly exserted, filaments 0.5–0.7 mm long; style and stigma 7.5–9 mm long, exserted for 2–3 mm from corolla tube. Brevistylous flowers: stamens exserted, filaments 1.5–2 mm long; style and stigma 4–5.5 mm long, included in corolla tube. Fruits sessile or subsessile, subglobose and somewhat asymmetrical, 5–6.5 x 5–6.5 mm, green turning white and then purplish black at maturity, one-seeded; calyx persistent; seed ca. 4–5 x 4 mm.  
 Etymology: —The species is named in memory of Timothy Motley, whose Pacific-based research led him to study diverse Rubiaceae groups such as Spermacoceae, Retiniphylleae, Guettardeae and Chiococceae.   
 Distribution: —Only known from the Alaotra-Mangoro and Atsinanana Regions in Eastern Madagascar, mostly near Moramanga. Fig. 4.   
 Habitat: —Mid-altitudinal humid forest, sometimes on river banks or near marsh, on sandy soil. Elev.: 850–1050 m.   
 Phenology: —Flowering: September–December (buds from May onwards); Fruiting: October–May.   
 Vernacular names: —belavenona, hazomamy, hazomanga, hazombavy, hazondomohina.   
 Uses: Wood is used for construction, for charcoal and as fire wood.   
 IUCN status: —Endangered: EN B1ab(i); B2ab (ii,iii). The extend of occurrence (EOO) of C. motleyanum is 1384.38 km 2, and its area of occupancy (AOO) is 52 km 2 using a cell width of 2 km. The species is distributed in five subpopulations, two of which are located in protected areas: Analamazaotra and Zahamena Ankeniheny. Habitat loss outside the protected areas is a serious threat for C. motleyanum. The mining in the Zahamena protected area may affect the subpopulation located in this site.   
 Additional specimens examined (paratypes):— MADAGASCAR. Province Toamasina: Alaotra-Mangoro, Ambatovy, 1017 m, 18° 47’ 46” S, 48° 20’ 21” E, 26 November 2006, Andriatiana 404 (BR, MO, P, TAN, TEF); Phelps Dodge project site, ca. 15 air-km NE of Moramanga, ca. 11 km E of Antanambao, Ambatovy-South, wetland south (north-east branch), 975 m, 18° 52’ 6” E, 48° 18’ 23” S, 15 February 1997, Andriatsiferana et al. 2149 (MO); environs d’Andasibe (Périnet), 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 2–5 November 1984, Barnett & Dorr 145 (K, MO, P, TAN); Alaotra-Mangoro, Ambatovy, 978 m, 18° 48’ 30” S, 48° 18’ 51” E, 26 October 2007, Bernard 703 (BR, MO, P, TAN); Périnet, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 1 November 1951, Bosser 2039 (TAN); Périnet, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, October 1951, Bosser 2056 (P); forêt d’Analamazaotra, Périnet, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 2 November 1962, Capuron 22070-SF (P, TEF); vestige de forêt au pk 102 de la route Tananarive-Moramanga, près d’Ankarahara, rive gauche du Mangoro, 18° 57’ S, 48° 14’ E, 22 October 1965, Capuron 24169-SF (P, TEF); Analamazaotra, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 24 October 1937, coll. ignot 3055 (P); Sahamaloto, Périnet, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 13 October 1951, coll. ignot. 4390-SF (P, TEF); Périnet, pk 17, 18° 55’ S, 48° 25’ E, 10 October 1952, coll. ignot. 5780-SF (P, TEF); Moramanga, Antsahatsaka, 18° 58’ S, 48° 17’ E, 27 October 1952, coll. ignot. 6034-SF (P, TEF); Sahamaloto, Périnet, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 15 October 1952, coll. ignot. 6055-SF (P, TEF); canton Périnet, district Moramanga, Analamazaotra, station 4LZ, presqu’île de la station, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, November 1963, coll. ignot. 21543-SF (P, TEF); canton Anosibe Anala, sous-préfecture Anosibe, Analabevakoana, sur la rive droite de la Mahamavo, pk 39 sur route d’Anosibe, 900 m, 19° 26’ S, 48° 27’ E, 5 May 1956, coll. ignot. 25185-SF (P, TEF); canton Anosibe, sous prefecture Anosibe, pk 39 sur route d’Anosibe, 900 m, 19° 26’ S, 48° 27’ E, 4 May 1965, coll. ignot. 25216-SF (P, TEF); canton Anosibe, sous prefecture Anosibe, Bevakoana, Toby, pk 39 sur route d’Anosibe, 900 m, 19° 26’ S, 48° 27’ E, 4 May 1965, coll. ignot. 25280-SF (TAN); Sandrangato, Moramanga, 19° 6’ 30” S, 48° 14’ 30” E, s. dat., Saint-Pierre 354 (as 354-R-212) (TEF); forest ca. 4 km W of Ampitambe, ca. 10 km N of Moramanga, 1050 m, 18° 51’ 34” S, 48° 16’ 42” E, 20 November 1998, Davis, Rakotonasolo & De Block 2198 (BR, G, K, MO, P, TAN); parc à orchidées, Analamazaotra, 890 m, 18° 56’ 11” S, 48° 24’ 47” E, 24 February 1999, De Block & Rakotonasolo 880 (BR, G, MO, P, TAN); Analamazaotra Special Reserve, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 20 January 2006, De Block, Tosh & Rakotonasolo 1869 (BR, MO, P, TAN); station forestière d’Andasibe (Périnet), 900 m, 18° 55’ S, 48° 25’ E, 8 December 1989, Evrard 11241 (BR, P, TAN); Andasibe National park, Périnet-Analamazaotra Special Reserve, along trail in the Indri area, 900–950 m, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 28 November 2003, Kårehed, Razafimandimbison & H. Bremer 303 (MO); Analamazaotra, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, August 1925, Louvel 59 (P); forêt d’Analamazaotra, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, s. dat., Perrier de la Bâthie 6910 (P); Analamazaotra, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, October 1932, Perrier de la Bâthie 18899 (P); Ambotrapanga, Périnet, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 7 March 1952, Ratovoarison 100 (as 100-R-172) (P, TEF); Moramanga, Périnet, Menalamba, 18° 53’ S, 48° 23’ E, 10 April 1952, Ratovoarison 125 (as 125-R-172) (P, TAN); Périnet, Moramanga, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 1 December 1947, Ratovoarison 1231-RN (P, TAN); Vatomandry, Ambalabe, Ambinanindrano II, direction du NE de Toby Foara, 19° 9’ 10” S, 48° 35’ 12” E, 22 September 2006, Razanatsima 174 (BR, K, MO); Analamazaotra, 19° 9’ 10” S, 48° 35’ 12” E, s. dat., Thouvenot 26 (K, P, TAN); forêt d’Analamazaotra, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 3 December 1934, Ursch 37 (P); near Andasibe, forest of Mantadia, beyond graphite mine, 900 m, 18° 55’ S, 48° 25’ E, 2 November 1994, Van der Werff, McPherson & Rapanarivo 13599 (BR, MO); Andovoranto, district Moramanga, forêt d’Analamazaotra, 18° 56’ S, 48° 26’ E, 17 October 1912, Viguier & Humbert 770 (P).— Locality unknown: s. loc., 1938, Lam & Meeuse 5327 (P).
description: Published as part of De Block, Petra & Randriamboavonjy, Tianjanahary, 2015, Three new species of Craterispermum (Rubiaceae) from Madagascar, pp. 79-89 in Phytotaxa 206 (1) on pages 80-83, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.206.1.11, http://zenodo.org/record/13642218