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| Phyllarthron arenicola Rakotoaris. & Rabarij., in Rakotoarisoa, Rabarijaona & Goyder, 2022 |
Summary
Phyllarthron is a genus of large trees and shrubs with 18 currently recognised Malagasy species and one further species restricted to the Comoro Archipelago (P. comorense DC.). Most of the species occur in sub-humid and humid parts of Madagascar, with only five currently recognised species in dry and semi-arid zones. The species newly described here occurs in dry shrubby vegetation on white sand. The number, shape and relative proportions of the leaf articles, and the presence of pubescence on the leaves, fruit, flower and the young shoots immediately distinguishes this species from others in the genus.
Key Words: Bongolava Forest Corridor, dry and semi-arid zones, white sand
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| Phyllarthron arenicola . A fruiting branch; B flowering branch. From S. E. Rakotoarisoa 839 (holotype). Drawn by Roger Lala Andriamiarisoa. |
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| Phyllarthron arenicola. A habitat; B flowering branch; C fruiting branch. photos: A, B Solofo E. Rakotoarisoa; C Feno Rakotoarison |
Phyllarthron arenicola Rakotoaris. & Rabarij. sp. nov.
RECOGNITION. Phyllarthron arenicola differs from P. bernierianum in its shorter phyllodes (2 – 6 cm vs 3 – 12.5 cm) which are pubescent on both surfaces rather than glabrous, and the corolla which is distinctly pubescent both externally and internally, rather than minutely scabrid-velutinous.
ETYMOLOGY. Arenicola or sand-dweller, named after the white sand substrate in which the species occurs.
VERNACULAR NAME. Tohiravina (Tsimihety).
Solofo E. Rakotoarisoa, Romer N. Rabarijaona and David J. Goyder. 2022. A New Dry Forest Species, Phyllarthron arenicola (Bignoniaceae: Coleeae), from North-Western Madagascar. Kew Bulletin. DOI: 10.1007/s12225-022-10067-8
