Acalypha ankaranensis I. Montero & Cardiel

4. Acalypha ankaranensis I.Montero & Cardiel South African Journal of Botany 146: 635 (Montero Muñoz et al. 2022). — Type: Madagascar. Diana region [Antsiranana prov.]: Ambilobe, Réserve Spéciale d’Ankarana. Piste vers le campement des Anglais et la sortie de la réserve, 180 m, 12°54’43”S, 49°06’39”E, 19.II.1994, M. Andrianarisata et al. 41 (holo-, P [P00508496]; iso-, MO [MO-2965838]). — Paratypes: Madagascar. Diana region [Antsiranana prov.]: Mahamasina. Réserve Spéciale d’Ankarana, chemin du canyon forestier, 130 m, 12°55’25”S, 49°06’39”E, 16.I.2003. M. Bardot-Vaucoulon et al. 1209 (K, MO, P [P00455503], TAN); Ankarana Res., near Campement des Anglais, 150 m, 12°54’S, 49°08’E, 30.I.1994, A. J. M. Leeuwenberg et al. 14374 (BR [BR0000021450266], E, G, K, LMU, MA, MO, P [P04779850], PRE, TAN, WAG). ICONOGRAPHY. — Montero Muñoz et al. (2022); Fig. 24B. ETYMOLOGY. — The epithet refers to the Ankarana massif (Madagascar), to which this species appears to be endemic. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. — Endemic to Madagascar (Diana), Ankarana massif. Dry deciduous forest on Mesozoic limestone. Altitude c. 180 m (Fig. 16). PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT. — Acalypha ankaranensis is only known from Ankarana massif, where this species appears to be a narrow endemic. Its EOO and AOO are estimated to be 12 km 2. The Ankarana massif is a Special Reserve, established in 1956; and it is a category IV protected area (Dudley 2008). The reserve lost 20% of its dry deciduous forests and 85% of its moist evergreen forest from 1996 to 2016, and is threatened mainly by sapphire mining, and by agriculture (commercial cash crops), logging, and locally by fires to improve grazing (Wilson et al. 1988; Kull 2000; Goodman et al. 2018). In recognition of its restricted geographic range and the cited threats, A. ankaranensis is assigned a preliminary conservation status of Critically Endangered: CR B2ab(ii,iii,iv). MATERIAL EXAMINED. — 3 collections. Madagascar. Andrianarisata, M. 41 (K, MO[MO-2965838], P[P00508496]); Bardot-Vaucoulon, M. 1209 (P[P00455503]); Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. 14374 (BR [BR0000021450266], E, G, K, LMU, MA[MA-01-00849822], MO, P[P04779850], PRE, TAN, WAG[WAG.1578695, WAG.1578696]). DESCRIPTION Shrubs, probably deciduous, to 1.2 m tall, monoecious. Branches red-tinged, pubescent with simple, curved, antrorse trichomes, glabrescent when mature. Axillary buds ovoid, to 1 mm long, perulate, perules 2, overlapping (superposed), membranous, scarious, appressed-pubescent, margin with sessile glands. Stipules to 5 mm long, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, apex acute, sparsely hairy with simple, short trichomes, margin with simple, erect trichomes to 1.5 mm long and short, glandular trichomes. Petioles reddish, 3-5 cm long, indumentum similar to that on young branches and with simple, erect trichomes to 1.5 mm long. Leaf blades (6-)7- 9 × 3.5-5.5 cm, broadly ovate-lanceolate, membranous; base subcordate to cordate; apex acuminate, acumen to 20 mm long, acute; margin serrate, teeth acute, with sessile glands at apex; upper surface laxly pubescent with simple, erect trichomes to 1.5 mm long, and with simple, curved trichomes on veins; lower surface laxly pubescent with sparse, simple, short trichomes, and with simple, curved trichomes on veins, axils of the secondary veins with pocket-shaped domatia; venation prominent on both surfaces, actinodromous, basal veins 5, secondary veins 5-6 per side. Stipels filiform, to 1 mm long, sparsely hairy. Inflorescences spiciform, androgynous, and solitary female bracts, mainly axillary, some androgynous inflorescences terminal. Androgynous inflorescences to 5.5 cm long, mostly male with short female segment; sessile or subsessile; rachis indumentum similar to that on petioles. Female segment to 3.5 cm long; bracts 1-4, sessile, enlarging in fruit to 8 × 10 (-18) mm, reniform, sparsely hairy with simple, erect trichomes to 1 mm long, especially at margin; margin dentate to denticulate, with c. 14 teeth, teeth acute to subacute, with sessile glands at apex, central tooth not prominent; bracteoles to 0.5 mm long, lanceolate, sparsely hairy. Male segment persistent, to 4 cm long, proximal 2 cm sterile; flowers glomerate; bracts to 0.8 mm long, oblong, sparsely hairy. Solitary female bracts sessile, similar to those on androgynous inflorescences. Male flowers: pedicel to 0.5 mm long, sparsely hairy; buds to 0.8 mm diameter, sparsely hairy, papillose. Female flowers 1 per bract, sessile; sepals 3, to 0.7 mm long, triangular, sparsely hairy, margin with some sessile glands; ovary c. 1 mm diameter, 3-lobed, apparently smooth, surface hispid with simple, erect trichomes to 1.5 mm long; styles 3, to 6 mm long, slightly connate at base, sparsely hairy on rachis, each divided into c. 10 segments. Allomorphic flowers sometimes present, axillary; pedicel filiform, to 20 mm long, sparsely hairy; sepals 3, similar to those of normal flowers; ovary immature. Capsules to 3 mm diameter, papillose-hispid, papillae triangular, to 0.5 mm long, ending in a simple trichome to 1 mm long, surface pubescent with simple, short trichomes. Seeds c. 1.2 mm diameter, subglobose, apiculate, foveolate.

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