-J2X s. Mr. J. Bot. 1999.65(5 & 6): 428-430 Lycium mascarenense (Solanaceae), a new species from the Mascarene Islands, Madagascar and south-eastern Africa Andor M. Ven ter' and A.J. Scott Department of Botany and Genetics, University of Ihe Orange Free Siale, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300 Republic of South Africa /{1!C<!II'ed 10 June 11)99: rel'lsed - OCloha J 999 A new species from the Mascarene Islands of Mauritius, Reunion , Rodrigues and associated small islands, Madagascar, as well as from the coastal region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Mozambique, is described This speCies is confined to co as tal dunes and sandstone rock and is characterized by its prostrate habit, densely clustered leaves. virtually thornless young branches, spreading over the sand dunes or hanging curtain-like over sandstone cliffs above the sea . The new species resembles L. acutifo/ium E. Mey. that IS found in the interior of KwaZulu -Natal, but differs in habitat. growth form, leaf shape, size and succulency Keywords : Lyc;um mascarenense sp. nov. , Solanaceae, taxonomy, Mascarene Islands, Madagascar, Black rock, littoral vegetation. "To whom correspondence should be addressed. (E-m ail address: [email protected]). Introduction 59 (1870); Cordemoy, FI. Reunion: 462 (1895); \Y. Strahm. The genus l.yc.:iulJI with approximately 80 species (Pojarkova Plant Red Data Book for Rodrigues: 20 I ( 1989). - Type: rv l auri~ 19(7) is distributed worldwide, with centres of diversity in tillS. Sieber FL lvlaurit. 2: 261 (P! , ;sotype). southern and central America as well as in southern Africa =: I, a/hUll non L.: Bojer, Hortlls Maurie: 214 (1837). (Symon 1(91 ).I,ycilllJl is main ly confined to arid regions (Dyer Intril:atdy hram:hed prostrate shruhs of up to I In high. 4-(1I1r~ In stlr­ 1975), although a few species are found in habitats quite differ­ lhee area . .)'(ems up to 2 m long x 2- \0 mm in diameter, \\illl pm­ ent fro m the usual arid ones. One slich species occurs in the Il(lunced hracilyhlasls giving a zigzag appearance to the slem .... older sand y coastal regions of northeastern KwaZulu-Natal (South stems profusely hram:hed \\ ilh thorns of 15- 30(-JO) I1U11 IOllg. ) (lUllg Africa). ivlozambique and Madagascar as well as on the Mas­ stCIllS Illore l)r less unbram:hed. prostrate or J1!.!lldulous. dcnsd~ t{)li­ carcne Island s of Mauriti us, Reunion, Rodrigues and associated ated. virtually thorn h.:ss: hark dirty white to ligh l brown. I.em 'e.\' alh:r­ SlIC­ small islands. (figure 2). This species exhibits pronounced n,ltc, clustered on brach~ blasts, sessile tn subscssilt:. SliCCUlent. cuienc), (notably of the leaves), probably as a result o f the sa lt glabrous: lamina ohlanceolate to narrO\\ Iy ohlanceolate. (2- )6- 10( - spray whi ch it is exposed to. Ini tially this unique character of the 14) x 1- 3(-4) mm . hrig.ht green to grey-green. bclo.;es dCl'lJ rrenl. apICl'S plunts along the KwaZulu-Natal coast was interpreted as a plas­ ohtus!.!. rardy acutc. Flowers solitary. from thc cent!'!.! of kaf dust!.!rs. ticity response of L (lClfl{fo/1I111 E. Mel'. to salt spray. However, 5-l11crous. bisexual: pedicel 1-5(- S) mill long. Caly.x camp'lJ1ulaIC. the discovery that similar plants occur abun dantly on Madagas­ 2.5-3 x 2- 3 mm. lobes 0.5- H.75 mm long. ulll'qual in size. Iri'1I1g.u lar. car and the r'vlascarene Islands, as well as evidence from chromo­ apices acu t!.!. margin ciliate. \'cstiHl re glandulur. Corolla sYl11pctaloll ... : so mal and DNA-studies (own. unpublished dnta). necessitated a tuhe \vhite. 5- 7(- 9) x 2-4 111m. lohes spreading. whitt! to pale lilac. re-asscsslllenl o f the taxon's statu s and the subsequent !,llh-orbicular. 2- 3 x 2- 3 mm . Stamen\' cpipctaillus, insetted 2 .5-~{ ·1) conclusion that it is an, as yet, unnamed species of I.ycillm. mm ahove coro !la hase. just helow rniddlt: or corolla tube. unequal in A fu ll revision of the African Lycillll1 species will be published length. 5-6 mm long: anthers jusl protrudin g from corolla tub.: mnuth: in the near future, which wi ll include the necessary floral keys. 2- thccous with longitudinal slits. lat mrsc, filamen t hascs dCllSd~ pilose. Pislfl glabrous: O\l(II~' ovoid. 1-1.5 x 0.5- 1 mill: hi locular. Description ax ile placenta: ovuks numl!rous in I..'ilch loculc: slyh' crl.!ct. filiform. slrni ght. 7- 9 mill long: stigma green. ohtusc: n{'c/an annular. adnale LyciuIH IJUiSCarelIense .'1. .\/. Vellfer & A. J SCOff sp. nov. tn and surrounding basal portion of ovnry. go lden-) clio\\'. inconspicu. I .. II1(1SCar(!II(!I/,\'e simil e est l.. (u:ulf/o/ii proprietatibus flora li bus. om: Berry orangey red. ovoid. 4- 5 x 4 mill . (Figure la- Id) . r..,·(,l'd~ dissimile ,luTelll forma augmenti ct proprietatibus folii. compressed reniform. 2.5 x 2 111m. ( 'hromosonlll/ 111m/her 2n = 2-1 (mn. unpuhlishcd dala). Frutc;\ glaber spi nescens usque 1 III altus. Folia in 6- 12 fa5cic­ ulos. oblanceolata, carnosa, obtu sa vel acuta, sessil ia vel subses­ Habitat and Ecology si 1ia. Flores solitarii in axilJis, ped icellis gracilibus. Calyx L mascal'enel1se is con tined to sandy coastal areas occurring on c3mpallul atus. lobis 5. inaequalibus. triangularibus, aCllminalis, littoral dunes and quaternary coarse-gra ined calcareolls s<1 n d~ margine tOl1lentu loso, pi li s g landulosis. Corolla al ba vel pall ido­ stOlle rock formations (Visser 1984), as well as in the dense dune purpurea. infundibularis, 5 lobis, late-ovatis, truncatis. Stamina scrub-thickets. This habitat is constantl y exposed to salt spray ), inc1 usi. hasifauci insertis, tomelltosis. Calyx fru ctifer leviter rrom the sea. accrescens. Bacca rubra vel aurantiaca. semina renifonnia, The many-stemmed, intricately branched shrubs nrc spread cOlllprcssa. out over the dunes covering large areas. or the pendulolls young TYPlIS: Rodrigues, Pointe Coton. 13/ 1211973 Coode el al4330 branches hang curtain-l ike over th e sea-facing sandstone cliffs. ( K~ . holotypllS). The plants estab li sh in sandy pockets on or between the s(l lld­ -= I. I e /WI! Wi lid . var. sieber; Dun . in DC., Prodr. 13: 5 15 ( 1852); stone rocks and become an effective ground cover. Flowerjng fla ker, FI ~laurit. & Seychelles: 2 16 (1877); Balf. f., Bot. Rodr.: seems to occur throughout the year, penking during mid summer S. i\fr. J. Bot. 1999.65(5 & 6) 42<) , , . Figure (ldulIl maS,,(Irel1ellse. A. Young stem with kaves (xl ). B. Old SII.! I11 with thlllns and k: av~ s (x l). C. Flower (x5l. a. l:alyx. h. coroll a. l: rrotrl1d ing anthl!L D. Flower opl.!n~d (x 5). a. pistil. h. stamens. [A . M. Vellier -121 (BLf-U)l . ..po S. Mc J. Bot. 1999, (\5(5 & 0) . (LlSC) . -26532£' Maputo. Santa Mm i<1 (- BR). \fogg 26985 (J). Bela Vista (- B(,). Balsmhas 120/ (COl), (;OIllf!S. Sousa & (Jiltsill/WI' 5(}-1 (USC): Ponto de Ouro (- I)])). (;(lmes & .)'()l/.'iI/ Y)()3 (PRE. K. USc. COl). Gome= & ."()/I." " 38-2 (K). (imCIICII(IJfk & f)e A'olllll.i: 18-/ (LM U). ,\(endOll(lf 290-1 ( LlSC) " Inhaca Island -26S32E: Capt! of Jn haca (- BB). ('orl'cira & ,1/(11'</1/('.\' '-99. (LISe. LMU). lie aux Iknticrs . .Ilogg 2-596 (K. PRE. SfHill). Reach at [nhacn lighthouse. .I{ oss & Aiacqlllrc -8 (.I) .\fogg 3]fJ]3 _ _ ....-------L.--- (PRJ':. SRGH). ,'erdo()rII & .Hal/v£' 3- (PRE). / South Africa - 27532E: Kosi Ray. Fi rst DU lle ilt Bangil Nck (-·I1R). '\"1"£'.1 ' & 1101/ ) , \ 3~13 (PRE): Kosi Bay. Ill"ck Rock (-On). 111111",1,=, ~ r, 3 (I'R Ei. I\"'-/'. \ 30 'l ~ ~ . , '{,lIfer A .-II . .121 (RLFU. PRE. K). ,'C'nrer II J r (}]~I (J1I.H i. K. PRE). Figure 2 1\.1](1\\'11 g': (1graphic distribution of I.yeilllll W' Withnut locality. S'fl1ub ]0908 (RLFli. K) ml/l·('un'IIl'II.\·(' (A). AltJdag(ISCar ill :-.lovl..'mher and December. - 23S43E: Toliara. 25 km from Tu kar to Sakarha ( Be). .l ftlll'l' & :\t IC<1st two other plant species. Cuefforda speciu.m L. .IIiffer 3802 (K). (I{ubi aceae) and ,I.,·ca e l·ola seric'r!a Vahl (Goodeni<1ceae). exhibit -25S47E: Fort Dauphine (Ta() lan aro) ( AA). 5i FlIiO! ]%3 (K) a distrihution pattern simi lar to that of I.. 111l1.\'(.'areJlr!lIse. although Illllch wider eastwards to the Andamans. Maldives. India. Sri [ .<1 nk<l. arollnd ma inland China as far north as the Ryuku [slands Mascarene Is/and~' oLI"p'1I1. In donesia/Malaysia and tropi cal bits of Australia, Phill­ Mauritius ipincs and P;:lcific Islands (A . E. van Wyk (PRU) and D. Goyder - 20557£: Port Lou i~ . Ill.':ilr Mer Rouge (- AA). 1 '(/ lf~l1an S /I ( K J. personal comlll uni cations). It is possible that Lycilllll IIlOS­ (MA U): lie aux Malayc. ncar Cust: Royale. Black River (··"Tn corel/en\'(' may have a wider distri bu tion pattern eastwards into ,1.101'1 11 S. II. (MAU). Lc Morne shore (- AO). I 'jIlSfJII S I/. (MA li). Fort \sia and sOllth-enstcrn As ia. George (--?) Ayres s. n. (K) . Discussion Reunion rhe initial nssumption that salt spray condit io ns along the K\','a­ - 21 SS5E: Pointe des Grands Bois (-?)_ ':riedllltllI1l309] (P). l ulu -Nata l ((last \.... ere responsible for induc ing the difference in (haracteristics between I. aClIfijiAium. the only other species to Rodrigues occu r in f\.