Noronhia crassiramosa H. Perrier

19. Noronhia crassiramosa H. Perrier in Mém. Inst. Sci. Madagascar, Sér. B, Biol. Vég. 2: 296. 1949 (Fig. 12B). Typus: M ADAGASCAR. Prov. Toamasina: Est Centre, forêt d’Analamazaotra, [18°56’S 48°26’E’], s.d., Perrier de la Bâthie 5085 (holo-: P [P00418098]!; iso-: P [P00418099]!). Description Trees to 25 m tall, trunk to 25 cm diameter; young twigs cylindrical to subquadrangular, 4-8 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium gray, smooth to slightly rugose. Leaves opposite, verticillate at the tips of the branches, persistent; bud scales persistent; blades dark green above, lighter below, oblong, 13-38 3 3.5-12 cm, very coriaceous, glabrous, domatia absent, base acute to rounded, margin flat, apex acuminate, the acumen 1-14 mm long, midrib slightly sunken above, distinctly raised below, secondary veins very conspicuous below, 8-14 per side, 14-51 mm apart, looping 3-13 mm from the margin; petiole medium gray to brownish, 9-22 3 3-5.5 mm, entirely woody, glabrous. Thyrses fasciculate, pauciflorous, diffuse; peduncle 8-25 mm long, glabrous; pedicel 6-10 mm long, glabrous; calyx glabrous on both sides, lobes deltate, 3-4 3 2-2.5 mm; corolla purplish red, cupuliform to subrotate, 5-6 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 2-3 mm long, lobes widely ovate, apex acute; corona present, 2-3 mm long, undivided; stamens 3 mm long, anthers oblong, 2 mm long; pistil 2.5-3 mm long, stigma slightly bilobed. Fruiting pedicel 5-14 3 3-4 mm; young fruits green, reddish when mature, subglobose, 21-30 3 16.5-21.5 mm, surface smooth, apex flat to apiculate; dry pericarp 2-2.5 mm thick; endocarp woody; seed 14-22.5 3 9.5-14 mm. Distribution, ecology and phenology Noronhia crassiramosa occurs in mid- to high-elevation humid forests in the central east, from Analamazaotra to Ranomafana (Fig. 9). It produces flowers and fruits from October to March. Conservation status There were 11 collections representing nine localities available for analysis, which resulted in an EOO of 5,024 km 2, an AOO of 32 km 2, and six subpopulations representing five locations, four of which occur within protected areas (Analamazaotra, Corridor Ankeniheny-Zahamena, Mantadia, and Ranomafana). Subpopulations outside of protected areas are very likely to experience continuing decline in habitat quality as well as habitat loss resulting from wood harvesting, forest exploitation, slash-and-burn cultivation and industrial mining, thereby reducing also the number of mature individuals. Therefore, N. crassiramosa is assigned a preliminary status of “Vulnerable” [VU B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)+2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)]. 84 Boissiera 70 Notes Noronhia crassiramosa can be recognized by its thick twigs, large, coriaceous leaf blades with very conspicuous venation, and its fruits with thick pericarp. It differs from N. patricei Hong-Wa by its opposite to verticillate at the tips of the branches (vs. entirely verticillate), oblong (vs. lanceolate) leaves, and apiculate (vs. flat) fruit apex. This species seems to reproduce only at a later age and appears to be rare. Additional specimens examined MADAGASCAR. Prov. Fianarantsoa: Ranomafana PN, Vatoharanana, Parcelle 3, 21°16’06”S 47°25’30”E, 923 m, 8. V.2010, Hong-Wa & Ortiz 669 (MO, P, TAN); ibid. loc., 21°15’S 47°27’E, 900 m, 8-14.XI.1991, Malcomber et al. 1007 (G, MO, P, TAN). Prov. Toamasina: Moramanga, Ambatovy, 18°48’42”S 48°20’40”E, 1141 m, 27.VII.2008, Antilahimena et al. 6403 (MO, P, TAN); ibid. loc., 18°50’25”S 48°18’16”E, 1090 m, 15. V.2010, Bernard et al. 1569 (MO, P, TAN); Analamazaotra RS, 18°56’12”S 48°25’09”E, 953 m, 2. V.2010, Hong-Wa & Ortiz 640 (MO, P, TAN); Andasibe, Analamay, 18°47’54”S 48°20’3”E, 1030 m, 1.XII.2010, Miandrimanana 473 (MO, P, TAN); Ambatovy, Amboasary, 18°57’13”S 48°26’43’’E, 1008 m, Rasoazanany et al. 326 (MO, P, TAN); Brickaville, Ankerana, 18°25’52”S 48°47’23”E, 842 m, 26.III.2011, Ravelonarivo 3892 (G, MO, P, TAN); Saharefina, Périnet, [18°56’S 48°26’E], 19. II.1955, Service Forestier 15015 (P, TEF).Published as part of Hong-Wa, Cynthia, 2016, A taxonomic revision of the genus Noronhia Stadtm. ex Thouars (Oleaceae) in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, pp. 1-292 in Boissiera 70 on pages 83-84, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.759943