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| Decaisnina samaense Tahil, in Tahil, 2021. |
Abstract
Decaisnina samaense, a new species of Loranthaceae from the Island of Simunul, Southern Philippines, is hereby described and illustrated. It is distinguished from all Decaisnina species by having narrowly lanceolate and narrowly ovate-lanceolate leaf laminae with a remarkable acuminate apex, flower buds being globularly inflated at the base with corolla color being yellow in the lower half and pastel green in the upper half and often blackish at the tip, and inflorescence consistently produce both triads and peduncles along the axis. It is related to Decaisnina stenopetala and D. zollingeri by exhibiting globular inflation at the base of the flower buds but differs from the two by having longer bracts, longer anthers, and the free part of the filament shorter. Decaisnina samaense is hereby assessed as Critically Endangered (CR B1, B2a&c, D).
Keywords: Decaisnina, globular inflation, Loranthaceae, Mistletoe, Simunul Island, taxonomy
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| Decaisnina samaense Tahil. A, plant showing a branch with leaves and and inflorescences; B, close-up view showing the number of pairs of inflorescences. Based on the holotype. |
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| Decaisnina samaense Tahil. A, young flower buds showing globular inflation at the base; B, flower buds at anthesis; C, adaxial view of reflexed flower buds; D, a pair of inflorescences; E, abaxial view of the inflorescence showing five pairs of triads and two pairs of peduncles (arrows) along the axis; F, dissected flower bud (a, Globular inflated base; b, Corolla; c, Corolla lobes; d, Free part of the filament; e, Anther; f, Stigma; g, Style). Based on the holotype. |
Decaisnina samaense Tahil, sp. nov.
Species nova affinis Decaisnina stenopetala (Oliver) Barlow et Decaisnina zollingeri (Tieghem) Barlow similis, sed foliis paene lanceolatis et paene ovatis-lanceolatis apud praeclarum acuminatae apex, alabastra quod globosam inflatam apud quod fundamen apud corolla color flavor in minus medium et pastellus viridi in superiores medium, saepe nigricans apud apex et inflorescentiae fructus tum triadorum et pedunculus secus axis constantius, bracteis 3–4.5 mm longis, antheris 5–6.5 mm longis et liberis pars autem filamentorum 2–2.2 mm longis distinguita.
Habitat and distribution: Decaisnina samaense
is known only from the small Island of Simunul. All the
collections were found in the secondary forest of the island at
0-5 m above sea level. The area is dominated by Psychotria
sp. (Rubiaceae) and Melicope sp. (Rutaceae). The species
was found infecting and growing only on Melicope sp.
Etymology: The epithet of this taxonomic novelty
honors the indigenous Sama people of the Simunul Island.
Arkady A. Tahil. 2021. Decaisnina samaense (Loranthaceae): A New Mistletoe Species from Simunul Island, Philippines. Harvard Papers in Botany. 26(2); 471–474. DOI: 10.3100/hpib.v26iss2.2021.n13 HUH.harvard.edu/pdf-downloads
