Turraea rasolofoae Callmander & Nusbaumer 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Callmander, Martin W.
name: Nusbaumer, Louis
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Magnoliopsida
Sapindales
Meliaceae
Turraea
Turraea rasolofoae

description: Turraea rasolofoae Callm. & Nusb., sp. nov.
(Fig. 7)
DIAGNOSIS. — Turraea rasolofoae sp. nov. can be distinguished by the pubescence of its twigs, leaves, calyx, ovary and fruits, its large white flowers (5-7 cm long), and its subglobose, ridged, densely verrucose berry.
TYPUS. — Madagascar • Anosy Region [Prov. Toliara], Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Andohahela, parcelle 2, 7.5 km ENE de Hazofotsy; 24°49’00”S, 46°36’36”E; 120 m; 13.XII.1995; fl.; Messmer, Rakotomalaza, Andriatsiferana & Helme 191 (holo-, G [G00408900]!; iso-, K [K004160893]!, MO!, P [P00800353]!, TEF, WAG!).
PHENOLOGY. — Flowers from July to December, fruits in December. DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Turraea rasolofoae sp. nov. appears to be endemic to the deciduous dry forests of southern Madagascar at an elevation between 50 to 250 m.
ETYMOLOGY. — The species epithet refers to Nathalie Rasolofo (born Messmer) who collected the type. Nathalie has gathered in Madagascar between 1994 and 2000 more than 2000 collections and was working on a vegetation survey of Andohahela while collecting the type (Rakotomalaza & Messmer 1999). Nathalie works at the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques in Geneva and we are thrilled to dedicate this new species to our colleague and long time friend. CONSERVATION STATUS. — Turraea rasolofoae sp. nov. has a geographic range in the form of an EOO of 2 815 km ² and an AOO of 32 km ². It is known from eight localities, three of which are situated within the protected area network (Andohahela, VohidavaBetsimalaho). Outside of the protected areas, the species is threatened by forest clearing for agriculture, fire, grazing, and exploitation for firewood, which will result in continuing decline of quality of habitat and number of mature individuals. The new species is therefore preliminary assessed as “Vulnerable” [VU B1ab(i,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,iii,iv,v)] in accordance with IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN 2012).
ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Madagascar • Anosy Region [Prov. Toliara], distr. Ambovombe, Behara; [24°57’S, 46°23’E]; 29.VIII.1924; fl.; Decary 3078 (P [P06773983, P06773984]) • ibid. loco; fl.; Decary 3080 (P [P06774019]); ibid. loco; 2.IX.1924; fl.; Decary 3139 (P [P06774020]) • ibid. loco; fl.; Decary 3139bis (P [P02090174]) • ibid. loco; fl.; Decary 3140 (P [P06773985]) • ibid. loco; fl.; Decary 3145 (P [P06773986]) • Amboasary, distr. Ambovombe; [25°08’S, 46°24’E]; 9.X.1924; fl.; Decary 3191 (P [P06774018]) • Andohahela, parc national, à l’ouest de la rivière Sakaravy, Ambatoabo, Ranopiso; 24°51’S, 46°38’E; 100-138 m; 31.X.1994; fl.; Eboroke 906 (G [G00642055], K, MO [MO-3188480], TAN) • Bassin supérieur du Mandrare (SE), vallée de la Manambolo; [24°34’S, 46°36’E]; 300-400 m; 23-24.XI.1928; fl.; Humbert 6797 (P [P00263866]) • Vallée moyenne du Mandrare, près d’Anadabolava; [24°13’S, 46°19’E]; 200-250 m; XII.1933; fr.; Humbert 12538 (P [P06774021]) • Vallée de la Manambolo, aux env. d’Isomonony, Mont Morahariva; [24°32’S, 46°38’E]; 1000- 1200 m; XII.1933; fr.; Humbert 13192 (P [P06741231]) • Berenty Reserve, forêt d’Anjapolo; 24°53’S, 46°12’E; 50 m; 22.XII.1987; fr.; Phillipson 2713 (K, MO, P [P06773982], TAN) • Sine loco, s.d., Keraudren 1477 (P [P02090172, P02090173]).
DESCRIPTION
Shrubs 2-5 m tall; young twigs pubescent becoming glabrescent; lateral twigs with scars. Leaves unifoliolate; leaf blade narrowly elliptic to oblong, chartaceous, pubescent becoming puberulent, (3-)4-6 × 1.5-2(-2.5) cm, base rounded to slightly subcordate, margin entire, undulate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces concolorous, brownish, domatia generally present; primary vein prominent; secondary veins and reticulum visible on both surfaces; petiole 3-6 mm, puberulous. Inflorescences pauciflorous, 1-3(-4) flowers. Flowers 5-7 cm long; pedicel 3-4 mm long, pubescent. Calyx cupuliform, 3 × 4(-5) mm, 5-lobed, each lobe with an apical tooth c. 2 mm long, pubescent on both sides. Corollas white to yellowishgreen of 5 spathulate petals, longer than the staminal tube, 50-70 mm long, c. 1.5 mm wide at base, 2.5 mm wide in the distal part, apex acute, puberulent. Staminal tube cylindrical, 40-60 × 1-2 mm long, slightly enlarged distally, glabrous; appendices 10, bifid at base, c. 5 mm long, glabrous; anthers 10, subsessile, narrowly elliptic, 1.5 × 0.3 mm, mucronate, mucron 0.3 mm long; ovary ovoid to oblate, c. 1 mm in diam., tomentose, locules 10, each with 2 superposed ovules; style exserted 5-8 mm, beyond the staminal tube c. 0.3 mm in diam. Receptaculum pollinis ovoid to pyriform, 2.5 × 1.5 mm; stigma discoid, 0.4 × 0.8 mm. Fruit an indehiscent berry, 10?-loculate, subglobose, ridged, densely verrucose, c. 20 mm diam., tomentose; pericarp c. 2 mm thick. Seeds reniform, 10 × 5 mm; testa brow-reddish, smooth.
D C B E A F
NOTES
The new species has indehiscent berry and was treated by Leroy and Lescot under the genus Humbertioturraea. Leroy previously named this species as “ Humbertioturraea ambovombeensis ” on Decary3191 and “ Humbertioturraea odorata ” on Humbert 12528.
description: Published as part of Callmander, Martin W. & Nusbaumer, Louis, 2024, Descriptions of ten new species of Turraea L. (Meliaceae, Turraeeae) from Madagascar with notes on the species described by Buchenau, pp. 103-128 in Adansonia (3) (3) 46 (11) on pages 114-115, DOI: 10.5252/adansonia2024v46a11, http://zenodo.org/record/12742516