Revision of Pycnandra subgenus Achradotypus (Sapotaceae), with five new species from New Caledonia

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Swenson ◽  
Jérôme Munzinger

Pycnandra is a genus of Sapotaceae (Chrysophylloideae), restricted to New Caledonia, and includes ~60 species. The genus is a member of the monophyletic Niemeyera complex of Australia and New Caledonia and it is characterised by the lack of staminodes and a fruit containing a single seed, plano-convex cotyledons and absence of endosperm. In New Caledonia, several segregate genera have been recognised, but weak cladistic support for these groups and homoplasious morphology renders a narrow generic concept untenable. Instead, a broad generic circumscription of Pycnandra with an infrageneric classification recognising the subgenera Achradotypus, Leptostylis, Pycnandra, Sebertia and Trouettia results in a stable nomenclature. Here we revise Pycnandra subg. Achradotypus that includes 14 species, of which five (P. belepensis, P. blaffartii, P. bracteolata, P. glabella, and P. ouaiemensis) are described as new. Members of subg. Achradotypus are distinguished from other subgenera on the basis of a character combination of two stamens opposite each corolla lobe (except P. litseiflora), glabrous leaves (except P. belepensis and P. decandra), a distinctive reticulate tertiary leaf venation (except P. comptonii), and sepal-like bracts that often are borne along the pedicel. All species are restricted to Grande Terre except for P. decandra, whose distribution also extends to nearby Art Island (Belep Islands), and P. belepensis, which is endemic to that same island. The members grow in a wide range of vegetation types from dry maquis to humid forest, from sea level to the highest mountain massif, and on ultramafic soils to schist and greywacke (not limestone). Because of past and present threats such as mining, logging and fire, preliminary IUCN Red List assessments are provided for all species. Five taxa (P. chartacea, P. decandra subsp. decandra, P. glabella, P. litseiflora, and P. neocaledonica) are proposed the IUCN status Endangered, and P. belepensis and P. ouaiemensis are proposed to be Critically Endangered. We suggest that some locations where these species occur should be given protection in the form of nature reserves.

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Swenson ◽  
Jérôme Munzinger

Pycnandra Benth. is a member of the pantropical family Sapotaceae (Chrysophylloideae) and the Niemeyera complex, a group that is found in Australia and New Caledonia. Generic limits in the complex have been problematic and Pycnandra is here given a circumscription to include the entire clade that is restricted to New Caledonia. Several lineages are therefore relegated to the subgeneric level that will subsequently be revised. In a first step, we revise P. subgenus Pycnandra with 12 recognised species, of which seven (P. atrofusca, P. cylindricarpa, P. glaberrima, P. linearifolia, P. longipetiolata, P. paucinervia and P. viridiflora) are described as new. Subgenus Pycnandra is endemic to Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia. The members grow in a wide range of habitats from dry maquis vegetation to moist humid forest, from sea level to the higher massif, and on ultramafic soils to schist and greywacke. Diagnostic characters for Pycnandra include absence of staminodes, a single-seeded fruit, plano-convex cotyledons and lack of endosperm. A glabrous ovary is a useful character distinguishing P. subgenus Pycnandra from the congeners, although there are two exceptions. P. viridiflora is included in the subgenus even though it has a pubescent ovary and Ochrothallus wagapensis is excluded despite a glabrous ovary. Because of past and present mining and logging activities in New Caledonia, conservation assessments are urgently needed. Preliminary IUCN Red List assessments are here provided for all members of the subgenus Pycnandra. Three species (P. longipetiolata, P. paniensis and P. paucinervia) are proposed the IUCN status Endangered and another (P. viridiflora) is proposed to be Critically Endangered.


2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Swenson ◽  
Jérôme Munzinger

Pycnandra (Sapotaceae, Chrysophylloideae) is endemic to New Caledonia, with ~60 species, and is subdivided into five (or six) subgenera. Here, we revise P. subg. Trouettia and recognise 17 species of which six (P. bourailensis, P. caeruleilatex, P. confusa, P. elliptica, P. pubiflora and P. sessiliflora) are described as new and provide 10 new combinations. The subgenus is found only in Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia. The members occur in a wide range of habitats, from dry maquis vegetation to moist humid forest, from sea level to the higher massif, and all species except P. bourailensis and P. sarlinii are restricted to ultramafic soils. Pycnandra is characterised by the absence of staminodes, a single-seeded fruit, plano-convex cotyledons and the absence of endosperm. Pycnandra subg. Trouettia is distinguished on a character combination of several homoplastic features such as alternate and tomentulose leaves, pubescent ovary and a broad seed scar. The corolla is tomentulose on the outer surface of six species, a character shared with one species in P. subg. Achradotypus. Because of past and present mining activities in New Caledonia and because these species are restricted to habitats on ultramafic soils, conservation assessments are urgently needed. Preliminary IUCN Red List assessments are provided for all members of subg. Trouettia. Six taxa (P. deplanchei subsp. deplanchei, P. deplanchei subsp. floribunda, P. intermedia, P. obscurinerva, P. sarlinii, P. sessiliflora) are proposed the IUCN status of Vulnerable; P. caeruleilatex, P. elliptica and P. schmidii are considered to be Endangered, and the two species P. bourailensis and P. confusa are proposed to be listed as Critically Endangered.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Swenson ◽  
Jérôme Munzinger

Pycnandra Benth. (Sapotaceae) is the largest endemic genus in New Caledonia and is subdivided into six subgenera. An addition of five species are here described in four subgenera, viz. P. comptonioides Swenson & Munzinger, P. kouakouensis Swenson & Munzinger, P. montana Swenson & Munzinger, P. poindimiensis Swenson & Munzinger and P. versicolor Swenson & Munzinger. Another seven to nine taxa are discussed but remain undescribed owing to the lack of adequate collections (and may remain undescribed pending the interpretation of the Nagoya Protocol). Pycnandra is characterised by a non-areolate higher leaf venation, sepals glabrous on the inner surface, no staminodes, and a single-seeded fruit. The members occur in a wide range of habitats and most species have very specific substrate requirements, growing on ultramafic, non-ultramafic or calcareous substrates. Almost 40 species are restricted to ultramafic substrates and many are now at risk of extinction because of deforestation, deliberately set fires and mining. We provide a systematic synopsis with keys to subgenera and species, phenology, substrate preferences, altitudinal ranges and preliminary IUCN Red List assessments for all described taxa. Four of the five new species are assessed as Critically Endangered. Pycnandra versicolor is in urgent need of conservation management beacuse its entire distribution is inside an active mine on the Koniambo massif.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-162
Author(s):  
Jérôme Munzinger ◽  
Porter P. Lowry ◽  
Martin W. Callmander ◽  
Sven Buerki

Abstract—The new species Alectryon hirsutus is described from New Caledonia. It is distinguished from the only other member of the genus occurring on this southwest Pacific island, A. carinatus, by its uniformly densely hirsute indumentum (vs. glabrous or with short, appressed trichomes) as well as features of its leaves [(2‐)3‐5 pairs of leaflets vs. 1‐2]) and fruits (9‐16 × 16‐28 mm vs. 5.6‐13 × 5.7‐10.6 mm), along with its presence in dense humid forest (vs. sclerophyllous or lowland dry forest). A preliminary conservation status of Critically Endangered [CR] is suggested following IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.


2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Swenson ◽  
Jérôme Munzinger

Pichonia Pierre (Sapotaceae, Chrysophylloideae) is a small genus of 10 species in Australasia, of which seven are endemic to New Caledonia. We revise the genus for New Caledonia and describe one new species (P. grandiflora), resurrect another (P. dubia) and make two new combinations because of nomenclatural priority (P. balansae, P. deplanchei). P. balansae has been known for decades as P. calomeris, a name that in fact has never been validly published. The members are mainly found in Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia, but two species extend to Belep Islands in the north and to Isle of Pines in the south of the archipelago. Most grow in maquis vegetation at low altitudes, on ultramafic soils, preferably serpentinite. The exceptions are P. balansana, confined to limestone areas, and P. dubia that is a large canopy tree of the humid forest on ultramafic soil. Pichonia is distinguished by a character combination of an areolate higher venation, staminodes, a single-seeded fruit, plano-convex cotyledons and absence of endosperm. Because of being restricted to ultramafic soils, they are subsequently sensitive to present and future mining activities in New Caledonia. Hence, preliminary IUCN Red List assessments for all members are provided. P. balansana, P. daenikeri and P. lecomtei are all naturally uncommon, do not occur in any protected area and are proposed the IUCN status of Vulnerable. The herein described species P. grandiflora is rare in nature, known only from the Boulinda–Paéoua–Kopéto Mountains, and is in urgent need of protection. It is therefore assigned a preliminary status of Endangered.


Oryx ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo C. Printes ◽  
Anthony B. Rylands ◽  
Júlio César Bicca-Marques

AbstractThe blond titi monkey Callicebus barbarabrownae lives in forest fragments in the caatinga (tropical thorn scrub and forest) of north-east Brazil. In 2004–2005 we carried out five surveys to determine its current distribution and conservation status; surveying forest fragments, interviewing local people, and recording vegetation types and patterns of land use. The blond titi monkey occurs mainly in Dense Arboreal Caatinga and Highland Coastal Rainforest in the state of Bahia, at elevations of 241–908 m. Its range extends over 291,438 km2, with an area of occupancy of 2,636 km2. Estimated minimum population was 260 individuals. It was not recorded in any protected area. Cattle ranching favours the persistence of forest fragments for this species, whereas agriculture, subsistence or commercial, does not. Our findings supported the IUCN Red List assessment of Critically Endangered for this species.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 349 (3) ◽  
pp. 201 ◽  
Author(s):  
ULRICH MEVE ◽  
GILDAS GÂTEBLÉ ◽  
SIGRID LIEDE-SCHUMANN

Two New Caledonian endemics of Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae, predominantly natives of the Ile des Pins, an island south of New Caledonia known for its high microendemism, are here described as new to science. One new species, Heterostemma bicanthaceum (Ceropegieae), is related to H. acuminatum Decne. but differs remarkably in a number of floral characters such as a raised central corolla tube, and a dull purple-brown and wrinkled corona with expanded lateral appendages forming coronal rail-like structures. The other species described and illustrated, Marsdenia kuniensis (Marsdenieae), is sister to Marsdenia dognyensis from the Grande Terre. Its fleshy whitish to rose corolla with the tube closely encircling the corona as well as protruding and deltoid corona lobes broader than long distinguish the new species. These two species are restricted to calcareous forests and a preliminary IUCN red list assessment is proposed. Additionally, the name Marsdenia neomicrostoma is proposed for a species whose members have hitherto mostly been listed under the name Marsdenia microstoma, a name that has to be considered as nomen dubium after its type has been lost. The species is a typical element of ultramafic soil vegetation, and therefore widespread on Grande Terre but missing on the Ile des Pins.


1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-C. Pintaud ◽  
T. Jaffré ◽  
J.-M. Veillon

An assessment of the conservation status of the palm species occuring in New Caledonia is provided, based on the new IUCN Red List categories. To determine the conservation status of each species, their extent of occurrence was determined using locality data on herbarium collections. Area of occupancy, number of adults, regeneration, and threats were evaluated on 62 localities throughout the Territory, including all types of palm habitats and all localities of species occurring at less than five sites. Among the 37 palm species known in New Caledonia, all are endemic and 13 are in a threatened category, including four critically endangered, one endangered, and eight vulnerable. Only four of the threatened species are represented in a reserve. Six species are listed as LRcd since they are adequately protected in a reserve despite an acute restriction of their range. Recommendations are given to improve the network of protected areas to include more threatened species.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 201 (1) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerome Munzinger

A new species of Planchonella, endemic to the Roches de la Ouaième in northeastern New Caledonia, is described and illustrated. Planchonella ulfii morphologically resembles P. roseoloba, while molecular data indicate a closer relation to P. minutiflora and P. koumaciensis, with all three species belonging to a clade characterized by ridged fruits. The new species brings the total for the genus to 37 species in New Caledonia, 36 of which are endemic to the archipelago. With a single known population comprising 10 individuals, a preliminary risk of extinction assessment using the IUCN Red List criteria indicates that it is Critically Endangered due to risk of fire faced by the shrubby vegetation found of the summit crest of the Roches de la Ouaième. The level of micro-endemism found at this site is discussed.


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