Revision of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) in the Marquesas Islands
Author
Wagner, Warren L.
Department of Botany, MRC- 166, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, P. O. Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013 - 7012
wagnerw@si.edu
Author
Wagner, Anthony J.
Department of Botany, MRC- 166, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, P. O. Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013 - 7012
Author
Lorence, David H.
National Tropical Botanical Garden, 3530 Papalina Road, Kalaheo, HI 96741 - 9599, USA
text
PhytoKeys
2013
2013-11-27
30
33
64
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.30.6147
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.30.6147
1314-2003-30-33
D914FFF0FFC8FF9C2C0A744BED3DFFF7
576187
4.
Cyrtandra uahukaensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence
sp. nov.
Fig. 6
Type.
Marquesas Islands: Ua Huka: Summit of ridge near Hitikau,
Hibiscus tiliaceus
forest, 820 m, 28 June 1997, S. Perlman, K. Wood, & J.-Y. Meyer 15844 (holotype: PTBG-026355!; isotype: US!).
Description.
Shrubs 1-2 m tall; stems apparently few. Leaves opposite, borne on upper 2-5 nodes, broadly elliptic, 18-26
x
7-10 cm, lower surface densely ferruginous appressed pubescent, upper surface glabrate, irregularly dentate, the teeth variable in size, petiole 5-6.5 cm, ferruginous appressed to spreading pubescent. Flowers in cymes arising in the upper leaf axils, apparently 1-3 flowered, peduncle 0-2 mm, ca. 1-2 mm in diameter, pedicels up to 6 mm; calyx cylindrical-ellipsoid, white, plicate; corolla much longer than calyx; style up to 10 mm, flower parts otherwise unknown. Partly mature berries up to 14 mm long.
Distribution.
Marquesas Islands, rare, endemic to Hitikau summit area, Ua Huka, from 820-870 m.
Ecology.
Cyrtandra uahukaensis
is known only from
Freycinetia impavida
-
Hibiscus tiliaceus
shrubland.
Etymology.
The specific epithet refers to the island of Ua Huka where the only known populations occur.
Conservation status.
IUCN Red List Category: Critically Endangered CR B2a + 2b (i, ii, iii). B2: total area of occupancy less than 10 km2 (ca. 5 km2). B2a, a single population known; b (i-iii), habitat continuing decline inferred. The suitable habitat for
Cyrtandra uahukaensis
on Ua Huka (ca. 83 km2) is indicated as an endangered environment, threatened feral animals, and invasive plants, reducing the extent of the forest (
Florence and Lorence 1997
;
Mueller-Dombois and Fosberg 1998
;
Meyer and Salvat 2009
).
Specimens examined.
Marquesas Islands. Ua Huka:
13 May 1918, Henry 7 (P); Hitikau summit region, large bowl-like plateau, 823-884 m,
8°54'22"S
, 139°31'66"W, 28 June 1997, Wood 6380 (PTBG); Hitikau and the Vaikivi summit region, 790 m,
8°54'S
,
139°31'W
, 14-15 June 2004, Wood & Perlman 10756 (PTBG).
Discussion.
Little is known about this species as it has been collected only four times. None of the collections were preserved with any flowers, only young fruit.
Cyrtandra
uahukaensis
is characterized by the densely pubescent leaves and condensed inflorescences. It grows in the same area as
Cyrtandra jonesii
and appears to be closely related. Their relationships and ecology should be studied as it seems atypical for two very closely related species of the genus to grow in near sympatry.
Figure 6.
Cyrtandra uahukaensis
W. L. Wagner & Lorence (Perlman et al. 15844, isotype US).