Noronhia sambiranensis H. Perrier

74. Noronhia sambiranensis H. Perrier in Mém. Inst. Sci. Madagascar, Sér. B, Biol. Vég. 2: 289. 1949 (Fig. 56C). Lectotypus (designated here): MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: forêt de la vallée du Sambirano, [13°54’30’’S 48°37’30’’E], s.d., Perrier de la Bâthie 8826 (P [P00418092]!). Syntypus: MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Diégo-Suarez, forêt d’Antsakoakely, Ursch 146 (P [P03559317]!). Description Trees to 15 m tall, trunk to 15 cm diameter; young twigs cylindrical, 0.8-2.4 mm diameter, glabrous; bark medium to light gray, smooth. Leaves opposite, semi-deciduous; bud scales persistent; blades medium green above, lighter below, oblong to lanceolate, 8-14.5 3 2.5-5 cm, chartaceous, glabrous, domatia rare, base acute to attenuate, margin flat to slightly undulate, apex acuminate, the acumen 2-22 mm long, midrib flat to slightly sunken above, raised below, secondary veins conspicuous, 7-14 per side, 9-26 mm apart, looping 1.5-7 mm from the margin; petiole light gray to yellowish, 5-16 3 1.3-2.2 mm, partially to entirely woody, glabrous. Thyrses solitary to geminate, pauciflorous, diffuse; peduncle 5-7 mm long, moderately pubescent; pedicel 2-14.5 mm long, moderately pubescent; calyx moderately pubescent outside, glabrous inside, lobes triangular to deltate, 1.3-2.5 3 0.9-2.2 mm; corolla red, cupuliform, 3.5-5 mm long, glabrous on both sides, the tube 1-3 mm long, lobes ovate slightly acute; corona absent; stamens 1.5-2.8 mm long, anthers oblate to orbicular, 1.1-1.9 mm long; pistil 2-3 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruiting pedicel 6-38 3 0.8-1.7 mm; young fruits greenish, purplish somewhat glaucous when mature, subglobose, 14-26.5 3 12-24 mm, surface smooth, apex flat, style persistent; dry pericarp 0.3-1.1 mm thick; endocarp crustaceous; seed 8.5-13.5 3 8-12 mm. Distribution, ecology and phenology Noronhia sambiranensis occurs in low- to high-elevation humid forests on basement rocks and lavas in the northwest (Fig. 49). It produces flowers and fruits from November to June. Conservation status Based on 21 collections representing 19 localities, the assessment resulted in an EOO of 11,043 km 2, an AOO of 72 km 2, and 12 subpopulations representing 12 locations, of which 10 occur within protected areas (Galoko, Lokobe, Manongarivo, Montagne d’Ambre, and Tsaratanana). Decline in habitat quality resulting from wood harvesting and forest exploitation will continue to affect the subpopulations that are outside and on the edge of protected areas. Noronhia sambiranensis is thus assigned a preliminary status of “Near Threatened”. Notes Noronhia sambiranensis can be recognized by its chartaceous, oblong to lanceolate leaf blades, cupuliform, red flowers, and subglobose, crustaceous fruits. It differs from N. urceolata by its semi-deciduous (vs. persistent) leaves, cupuliform (vs. urceolate) flow-ers, and ovate to acute (vs. widely ovate rounded) corolla lobes. This species was based on two syntypes (Perrier de la Bâthie 8826 and Ursch 146), the first of which bears both flowers and fruits, and has thus been chosen here as the lectotype. 240 Boissiera 70 Additional specimens examined MADAGASCAR. Prov. Antsiranana: Ampasindava, forêt de Betsitsika, 13°45’36”S 48°04’21”E, 436 m, 3.XII.2008, Ammann et al. 129 (G, MO, TEF); ibid loc., 13°45’53”S 48°04’22”E, 470 m, 12.XII.2008, Ammann et al. 191 (G, MO, P, TEF); Nosy Be, Lokobe RNI, 13°25’S 48°19’E, 30-100 m, 14.VII.1994, Antilahimena 142 (K, MO, TAN); Tsaratanana RNI, Beangona, 14°01’S 48°47’E, 1200-1400 m, 31.VII.2000, Antilahimena et al. 530 (G, K, MO, P, TAN); Ambilobe, Beramanja, Anketrabe, forêt de Kalabenono, 13°38’20”S 48°40’16”E, 374 m, 19.XI.2006, Callmander et al. 535 (G, MO, P, TAN); Manongarivo RS, Ambahatra, 13°59’S 48°26’E, 600 m, 8. VI.2000, Gautier 3766 (G, MO, P); Ampasindava, forêt de Bongomihiravavy, 13°45’38”S 48°05’29”E, 430 m, 24.XI.2008, Madiomanana et al. 149 (G, MO, P, TEF); Montagne d’Ambre, 12°28’36”S 49°10’51”E, 687 m, 18.XII.2011, Ramandimbimanana et al. 173 (G, MO); Tsaratanana RNI, Mandrizavona, 13°50’33”S 48°46’35”E, 545 m, 10.X.1998, Randrianaivo 267 (G, MO, P, TAN); Montagne d’Ambre, station des Roussettes, [12°28’S 49°10’E], 12.XI.1954, Service Forestier 11033 (P, TEF); Ambahatra, cours moyen, 13°57’40”S 48°26’40”E, 350 m, 21. VI.1999, Wohlhauser 60168 (G, MO, P, TEF); Ambahatra, cours supérieur, 13°59’S 48°26’E, 330 m, 4. VI.2000, Wohlhauser 60289 (G, MO, P). Prov. Mahajanga: Tsaratanana massif, N of Mangindrano, 14°10’24”S 48°56’43”E, 1675 m, 21.X.2001, Lowry et al. 5449 (MO, P).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 239-240, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.759943